Lab #4 Flashcards
What is phylogenetic systematics?
The science of classifying organisms based on their evolutionary relationships is know as phylogenetic systematics.
What is a phylogenetic tree?
The result of the process of classifying organisms based on their evolutionary relationships.
What are shared ancestral traits?
Traits that a species shares with is ancestors
Ex: Birds have a vertebral column which is also shared by all other vertebrates this is a shared ancestral trait.
what are shared derived traits?
Traits that have evolved in a species since branching off from its ancestor.
Ex: birds have feathers which is shared by all other birds but not all other vertebrates.
What is an outgroup?
An outgroup is a species or group of species that is known to have branched off from the evolutionary lineage before the rest of the groups we wish to study.
- The outgroup therefore serves as a point of comparison for the groups of interest.
What is parsimony?
Parsimony basically states that the simplest explanation is treated as the most likely one.
