Midterm Flashcards
clade
a group of organisms that have descended from a common ancestor
Homologous
Describes characters that are similar in different species because of descent from a common ancestor; the noun form of homology
Analogous
Describes similar characters that evolved independently in different groups resulting from similar selection pressures
Synapomorphy
A shared derived character; the basis of phylogenetic reconstruction
Monophyletic
A group containing all known descendants of a common ancestor
Paraphyletic
A group containing a common ancestor but not all of the descendants
Polyphyletic
A group of organisms that does not include the common ancestor
Plasmid
Mobile extra-chromosomal genetic element
Peptidoglycan
Polymer of sugars and amino acids, making up the bacterial cell wall
Binary Fission
Division of one cell into two, more or less equally
Horizontal Gene Transfer
Passing on of genetic material to members of the general community, rather than parent to daughter cell
Anoxygenic
Without the liberation of oxygen
Oxygenic
A reaction that liberates oxygen
Chemotroph
Metabolize inorganic chemicals to generate energy
Phototroph
Producing complex organic molecules by capturing solar energy to make simple organic molecules
Saprophyte
Consuming dead organisms
Phycobilisomes
Structure on the thylakoid membrane organizing accessory pigments
Akinete
Thick-walled, resting cell of cyanobacteria filled with food resources
Heterocyst
Specialized cyanobacteria cell lacking chlorophyll, and producing nitrogenase; fixes Nitrogen and thus must be anaerobic
Stromatolites
Large, dome-shaped structures formed by colonies of cyanobacteria
Supergroup
Taxon used to organize eukaryote phyla. Level of organization between Domain and Phylum
Cristi
Mitochondrial inner membrane; the site of membrane-bound reactions
Undulipodium
Eukaryotic cilia and flagella; NOT bacterial flagella
Dikaryotic
A cell stage immediately after fusion of two haploid cells; following plasmogamy but prior to karyogamy