BIO153_Lecture_4

What is Taxonomy?

The study of organisms, their naming, and grouping into related categories.

What is Phylogeny?

The analysis of evolutionary relationships among organisms based on their classifications.

What are the main components of Taxonomy?

Nomenclature, classification, and the study of organisms.

How are organisms in the Kingdom Plantae characterized?

They are vascular plants with tube-like structures to transport water.

What defines the Family Felidae?

It includes cats which have retractable claws, significant for hunting.

What are adaptations of the Cheetah?

Cheetahs have specialized adaptations for high-speed running, including blunt, semi-retractable claws.

What is Cladistics?

An approach for systematics that classifies organisms based on ancestral relationships.

What does a phylogenetic tree represent?

A branched, tree-like representation of the evolutionary relationships of organisms.

What is a branch point in a phylogenetic tree?

A point where a common ancestor diverges into two or more species.

What are sister taxa?

Groups of organisms that share an immediate common ancestor not shared with any other group.

What is a basal taxon?

A lineage that diverges from all other members of the tree early in the history of the group.

What does Property 1 of a phylogenetic tree state?

It only shows how organisms are connected to one another.

How do cetaceans and seals illustrate descent patterns in phylogenetic trees?

Cetaceans and seals look similar but do not share an immediate common ancestor; cetaceans are closer to hippos.

What is the difference between cladograms and phylograms?

Cladograms only connect organisms while phylograms represent additional information via branch lengths.

What is a polytomy in phylogenetics?

A branching point where a common ancestor diverges into more than two species at once.

What does it mean that phylogenetic trees are hypotheses?

They represent possible evolutionary relationships, which may change as new traits are prioritized.

What do phylogenetic trees NOT suggest about species evolution?

They do not imply that one species evolved from another neighboring species.

What can change the classification represented in a phylogenetic tree?

The choice of traits prioritized for building the tree can alter classifications.