Phylogeny & The Tree of Life

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering the key concepts from the lecture on phylogeny and the tree of life.

Phylogeny

The evolutionary history and relationships of a species or group of species.

Systematics

The classification of organisms and determining their evolutionary relationships.

Taxonomy

The science of naming, describing, and classifying organisms.

Binomial Nomenclature

A two-part format of the scientific name, developed by Carolus Linnaeus.

Common name

The everyday name of an organism, such as Rainbow Trout.

Genus

The first part of a scientific name, always capitalized.

Species

The second part of a scientific name, not capitalized.

Linnaean System

A hierarchical system that classifies organisms into increasingly inclusive categories.

Taxon

A named group at any level of hierarchy.

Phylogenetic Tree

A diagram that visually represents the evolutionary relationships among various biological species.

Sister Taxa

Groups of organisms that share a common ancestor not shared by any other group.

Homology

Similar features in organisms due to shared ancestry.

Analogy

Similar features in organisms due to convergent evolution.

Morphology

The study of the form and structure of organisms.

Molecular Data

Information obtained from DNA sequences used to infer phylogenies.

Cladistics

The classification of organisms based on common ancestry and shared derived characteristics.

Monophyletic Group

A group consisting of an ancestor and all its descendants.

Paraphyletic Group

A group that includes an ancestor but not all its descendants.

Polyphyletic Group

A group that does not include the most recent common ancestor of its members.

Shared Ancestral Characters

Traits that originated in a common ancestor of the taxon.

Shared Derived Characters

An evolutionary novelty unique to a clade.

Gene Duplication

A process that increases the number of genes in a genome, creating potential for evolutionary change.

Orthologous Genes

Genes that are products of speciation and occur between different species.

Paralogous Genes

Genes that result from gene duplication within a species.

Horizontal Gene Transfer

The transfer of genes between organisms via exchange processes.

Phylogenetic Relationship

The evolutionary connections among different species.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

A system for organizing taxonomic ranks such as kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species.

Evolutionary Lineage

A sequence of species, each of which is considered to be a descendant of the previous one.

Common Ancestor

The most recent individual from which all organisms in a group are directly descended.

Branch Point

A point on a phylogenetic tree where a lineage splits into two or more lineages.

Linnaean Categories

The levels of classification created in the Linnaean system, such as kingdom, phylum, class.

Taxonomic Classification

The process of arranging organisms into groups based on similarities and differences.

Eukaryotic Organisms

Organisms whose cells contain a nucleus and other organelles enclosed within membranes.

Prokaryotic Organisms

Single-celled organisms that lack a nucleus.

Genetic Data's Influence

Data that can lead to reclassification and reevaluation of evolutionary history.

Division of Lineages

The process by which one lineage diverges into two or more new lineages.

Branch Length in Trees

Indicates the time or amount of genetic change, though not always specified.

Difficulties in Phylogeny

Challenges encountered when differentiating homologous traits from analogous traits.

Evolutionary Change

Changes in the genetic composition of a population over time.

Mutations

Changes in DNA sequences that can affect genetic similarity analyses.

Hypothesis of Relationships

The proposed connections between species based on phylogenetic analysis.

Evolving Functions

The diversification of gene roles over evolutionary time.

Insight from DNA

Genetic information providing clues to phylogenetic relationships.

Patterns of Descent

The historical patterns showing how species have evolved over time.

Study of Clades

Analysis of groups of organisms descended from a common ancestor.

Trace Phylogenies

To follow the evolutionary relationships of species and genes.

Reclassification of Organisms

The process of changing the taxonomic classification of organisms based on new data and insights.

Single-Celled Organisms

Organisms composed of a single cell, crucial in the history of life.

Evolutionary Relationships

Connections among species based on shared ancestry and traits.

Genetic Research Impact

New findings in genetics that alter the understanding of biological classifications.

Eukaryotic Gene Acquisition

The process by which eukaryotic organisms can obtain genes from prokaryotic organisms.

Phylogenetic Analysis

The study and interpretation of phylogenetic trees to understand relationships.