Classifying life and reconstructing phylogenies

Question 1

Taxonomy and phylogeny

Answer 1

Taxonomy is the science of classification of organisms

Phylogeny is the study of evolutionary relationships

Question 2

Classification systems

Answer 2

Taxonomy
-Kingdom e.g. animalia
-Phylum e.g. chordata
-Class e.g. aves
-Order e.g. passeriformes
-Family e.g. fringillidae
-Genus e.g. geospiza
-Species e.g. geospiza magnirostris

Phylogeny
Cladistic analysis

Question 3

Cladistic analysis definition

Answer 3

a method of reconstructing phylogenetic trees that uses shared derived characters to infer evolutionary relationships

Question 4

Autapomorphies

Answer 4

unique characteristics that are found only in one particular taxon and are not shared with any other taxon

Question 5

Synapomorphies

Answer 5

shared, derived characteristics that are present in two or more taxa and their most recent common ancestor, but not in more distant ancestors

Question 6

Symplesiomorphies

Answer 6

shared, primitive characteristics that are present in two or more taxa, as well as their ancestors

Question 7

Analogous

Answer 7

similarity due to convergent evolution

Question 8

Homologous

Answer 8

similarity due to common ancestry

Question 9

Monophyletic group

Answer 9

all

Question 10

Paraphyletic group

Answer 10

forgotten some

Question 11

Polyphyletic group

Answer 11

included some

Question 12

Subdivision of the prokaryotes

Answer 12

Two types of prokaryote, eubacteria (bacteria) and archaebacteria (archaea).

Archaea less numerous and diverse, inhabit extreme environments (very hot/salty)

Appears there are two groups of archaea, unsure how related