Phylogenetic Trees Class Quiz

Who Published Systema Naturae, when, and what is it.

Carolus Linnaeus, 1758, a formal naming system of binomial nomenclature (genera and species)

What did “Systema Naturae” seek to solve

During a time of new species discoveries, scientists could not communicate across languages, by developing a formal naming system this problem was solved.

Who is the “Father of Taxonomy”

Carolus Linnaeus

Molecular Technology

The ability to classify organisms based on molecular information such as DNA, RNA, and amino acid sequencing. This caused scientists to change many previously accepted classifications

What brought bout the third Doman (Archaea)

The collapse of Kingdom Monera

What has the kingdom Protista become

A catch-all classification for organisms that aren’t considered plants, animals, or fungi.

What is the old linear system and what is it giving way to?

Domain, kIngdon, Phylum, Class, Order, Genus, and Species; this is giving away to a new system of classification based on four supergroups

What are the four new supergroups?

Excavata, SAR, Unikonta, Archaeplastida

Excavata

Excavata are asymmetrical, single-celled organisms with a feeding groove “excavated” from one side.

SAR

Stramenopiles, Alveolates and Rhizarians, include chemoheterotrophs, photoautotrophs, and mixotrophs.  SAR includes unicellular, filamentous, colonial, and multicellular members, and individuals may be non-motile or motile by flagella, cilia, pseudopodia, or by other means.

Unikonta

Unikonta includes organisms that typically have a single flagellum (when present) and share a common ancestor with amoeboid movement or unique cytoskeletal structures. It is divided into two major clades.

Archaeplastida

The eukaryotic supergroup Archaeplastida includes organisms that primarily perform oxygenic photosynthesis and are characterized by plastids derived from a primary endosymbiotic event with a cyanobacterium. It consists of three major clades

Systematics

The branch of biology concerned with the classification and naming (taxonomy) of organisms both extinct and extant. It is no longer linear and develops relationships through evolutionary time and pictorially demonstrates these relationships in phylogenetic trees.

Phylogenetic trees

Branching diagrams based on similarities and dissimilarities of specific molecular sequences, requiring sophisticated computer programs to align and compare them. Each is only a hypothesis.

What type of genetic sequence do systematists rely on

Genetic sequences that remain highly conserved throughout time (mutates slowly), for example, mitochondrial cytb gene is often used to find relationships between eukaryotic organisms.

Highly Conserved

When the changes in a gene would likely be lethal so it does not get passed down. In the cytb gene, organisms likely do not survive when there is a mutation as it is found in the ETC, this means that the organism would likely not live to pass the gene on so it’s highly conserved.

What is closest related to the Dodo Bird?

The Nicobar Pigeon