Domains of Life and Scientific Nomenclature

Question 1

Three Domains of Life

Answer 1

Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya.

Question 2

Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA)

Answer 2

The unique common ancestor thought to be the origin of all life on earth.

Question 3

Biochemical components

Answer 3

L-Amino Acids and D-Carbohydrates that support the evidence for LUCA.

Question 4

Universal genetic code

Answer 4

The genetic code that is shared by all living organisms.

Question 5

Metabolic pathways

Answer 5

Biochemical processes that are common across different forms of life.

Question 6

16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA)

Answer 6

A type of RNA used to compare sequences to understand relationships among living organisms.

Question 7

Bacteria

Answer 7

Single-celled, asexual, prokaryotic organisms including predators, mutualists, parasites, and extremophiles.

Question 8

Archaea

Answer 8

Single-celled, prokaryotic, asexual microorganisms, often extremophiles.

Question 9

Eukaryotes

Answer 9

Organisms with eukaryotic cells containing plastids, evolved by endosymbiosis.

Question 10

Pathogens

Answer 10

Organisms that cause disease, with varying modes of transmission and interaction with hosts.

Question 11

Scientific name

Answer 11

A formal name used to uniquely identify a species.

Question 12

Linnean classification

Answer 12

A system for naming and classifying organisms developed by Carl Linnaeus.

Question 13

Taxonomy

Answer 13

The description, identification, and classification of organisms.

Question 14

Systematics

Answer 14

The study of evolutionary relationships among biological entities.

Question 15

Binomial nomenclature

Answer 15

A system of naming organisms using two terms: the genus and species.

Question 16

Species

Answer 16

A group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

Question 17

Evolutionary fitness landscape

Answer 17

A representation of the relationship between fitness and genotype or phenotype.

Question 18

Erasmus Darwin

Answer 18

Charles Darwin’s grandfather who proposed ideas about common descent and evolution.

Question 19

Charles Darwin

Answer 19

Naturalist who expanded on the idea of descent from a common ancestor and evolution over time.

Question 20

Homologous traits

Answer 20

Traits shared by organisms due to common ancestry.

Question 21

Analogous traits

Answer 21

Traits that arise independently in different species due to similar selective pressures.

Question 22

Convergent evolution

Answer 22

The process where unrelated organisms develop similar traits due to similar environments.

Question 23

Phylogenetic diagrams

Answer 23

Visual representations of evolutionary relationships among species.

Question 24

Clade

Answer 24

A monophyletic group of organisms that includes an ancestor and all its descendants.

Question 25

Common Ancestor

Answer 25

An ancestral species from which multiple species have evolved.

Question 26

Sister Group

Answer 26

Groups that share a most recent common ancestor.

Question 27

Outgroup

Answer 27

A species or group that is closely related to the ingroup but not a part of it.