A3.2 Classification and Cladistics

classification

manages and makes sense of the vast diversity of organisms via grouping them based on shared characteristics

binomial nomenclature

naming system for species (starts with genus followed by species name)

molecular clock

method to estimate time of evolutionary divergence between species based on rate of genetic mutations

cladistics

branch of classification that groups species based on shared traits, molecular evidence, and evolutionary relationships

cladograms

tree diagrams that show most probable sequence of divergence in clades

clades

groups of organisms evolved from the same ancestor

root

represents most ancient ancestor

nodes

represent branchng part from ancestral species/common ancestor

outgroup

most distantly related species in cladogram

terminal branch

tips/end branch

phylogeny

study of the evolutionary past of species

archaea

new domain of prokaryotes founded based on biochemical evidence