Classification of Microorganisms

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to the classification of microorganisms, their evolutionary history, and methods used in taxonomy.

Taxon

A biological classification grouping of any rank such as species, family, class, etc.

Phylogeny

The evolutionary history of a particular group of organisms.

Systematics

The study of the evolutionary history of organisms.

Prokaryote

Cells without a nucleus.

Endosymbiotic Theory

Proposal that primitive eukaryotic cells evolved from bacteria living as symbionts within a larger prokaryotic cell.

Genus

The first part of a species name, indicating the group to which the species belongs.

Specific epithet

The second part of a species name that identifies the specific species within the genus.

Dichotomous Key

An identification key based on successive questions.

Cladistics

A method of classification where organisms are grouped by common ancestry.

Cladogram

A branched map based on rRNA sequences that reveals evolutionary relatedness of species.