Homology vs. Analogy and Phylogenetics

These flashcards cover the key terms and concepts discussed in the lecture regarding evolutionary biology, phylogenetics, and classification.

Homologous traits

Traits shared between taxa due to descent from a common ancestor.

Analogous traits

Traits that are similar through evolution but not due to a shared ancestry, often resulting from convergent evolution.

Synapomorphy

A shared derived character that indicates a common ancestry in a group of taxa.

Ancestral trait

A trait that arose early in the evolution of a lineage.

Derived trait

A trait that arose relatively recently in the evolution of a lineage.

Paraphyletic group

A group that includes a common ancestor and some, but not all, of its descendants.

Polyphyletic group

A group that includes organisms from multiple evolutionary lineages, not sharing a recent common ancestor.

Monophyletic group (Clade)

A group that includes a common ancestor and all of its descendants.

Plesiomorphy

An ancestral trait shared by a group.

Character matrix

A table used in phylogenetics to display traits of different taxa for comparison.

Evolutionary systematics

The branch of systematics concerned with the classification and nomenclature of organisms based on evolution.

Phylogenetic tree

A diagram that represents evolutionary relationships among biological species.

Microevolution

Small-scale evolutionary changes typically seen within populations over a short period.

Allele frequency

The proportion of a specific allele among all allele copies in a population.

Genotype frequency

The proportion of a specific genotype among all genotypes in a population.