Chapter 12 Vocabulary

Question 1

Analogous structure

Answer 1

A character found in two taxa that looks similar because of convergent evolution, not because of descent from a common ancestor.

Question 2

Binomial nomenclature

Answer 2

A system of two-part scientific names for an organism, which includes genus and species names.

Question 3

Branch point

Answer 3

A point on a phylogenic tree where a single lineage splits to distinct new ones.

Question 4

Clade

Answer 4

A group of taxa with the same set of shared derived characters, including an ancestral species and all its descendants.

Question 5

Cladistics

Answer 5

A method used to organize homologous traits to describe phylogenies using common descendent as the primary criterion used to classify organisms.

Question 6

Class

Answer 6

The category in the taxonomic classification system that falls within phylum and includes orders.

Question 7

Domain

Answer 7

The highest level category in the classification system and that includes all taxonomic classifications below it; it is the most inclusive taxon.

Question 8

Family

Answer 8

The category in the taxonomic classifications system that falls within order and includes genera.

Question 9

Genus

Answer 9

The category in the taxonomic classification system that falls within family and includes species; the first part of the scientific name.

Question 10

Kingdom

Answer 10

The category in the taxonomic classification system that falls within the domain and includes phyla.

Question 11

Maximum parsimony

Answer 11

The category in the taxonomic classification system that falls within family and includes species; the first part of the scientific name.

Question 12

Molecular systematics

Answer 12

The methods of using molecular evidence to identify phylogenetic relationships.

Question 13

Monophyletic group

Answer 13

(also clade) organisms that share a single ancestor.

Question 14

Order

Answer 14

The category in the taxonomic classification system that falls within class and includes families.

Question 15

Phylogenic tree

Answer 15

Diagram used to reflect the evolutionary relationships between organisms or groups of organisms.

Question 16

Phylogeny

Answer 16

Evolutionary history and relationship of an organism or group of organisms.

Question 17

Phylum

Answer 17

The category in the taxonomic classification system that falls within kingdom and includes classes.

Question 18

Rooted

Answer 18

Describing a phylogenic tree with a single ancestral lineage to which all organisms represented in the diagram relate.

Question 19

Shared ancestral character

Answer 19

A character on a phylogenic branch that is shared by a particular clade.

Question 20

Shared derived character

Answer 20

A character on a phylogenic tree that is shared only by a certain clade of organisms.

Question 21

Sister taxa

Answer 21

Two lineages that diverged from the same branch point.

Question 22

Species

Answer 22

The most specific category of classification.

Question 23

Systematics

Answer 23

The science of determining the evolutionary relationships of organisms.

Question 24

Taxon

Answer 24

A single level in the taxonomic classification system.

Question 25

Taxonomy

Answer 25

The science of classifying organisms.