Taxonomy, Systematics, and Phylogeny

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to taxonomy, systematics, and phylogeny as presented in the lecture notes.

Systematics

The study of biodiversity that helps to understand the evolutionary relationships between organisms.

Taxonomy

A branch of systematic biology that identifies, names, and organizes biodiversity into related categories.

Taxon

The general name for a group of organisms sharing a set of traits.

Binomial Nomenclature

A system developed by Carolus Linnaeus that gives a two-part Latin name to each species.

Genus

The first part of a species' binomial name that represents a group of related species.

Specific Epithet

The second part of a species' binomial name that differentiates the species within the genus.

Classification Hierarchy

A system of organizing biological diversity from most inclusive (Domain) to least inclusive (Species).

Three Domain System

A classification system that includes three domains: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya.

Prokaryotic

Organisms that lack a membrane-bound nucleus; includes domains Bacteria and Archaea.

Eukaryotic

Organisms that have a membrane-bound nucleus; includes domain Eukarya.

Phylogeny

The evolutionary history of a group of organisms, often represented as a phylogenetic tree.

Ancestral Traits

Traits present in all group members and their common ancestor, not useful for showing evolutionary relationships.

Derived Traits

Traits present in some group members but not in the ancestor, important for understanding evolutionary history.

Cladistics

A method that uses shared and derived traits to develop hypotheses of evolutionary history.

Homology

Structural similarity due to shared origin.

Analogy

Similarity in function between structures that do not share a common origin.

Convergent Evolution

The evolution of similar traits in unrelated species due to adaptation to similar environments.