Phylogeny 10.3 Flashcards
what is phylogeny
Phylogeny is the name given to the evolutionary relationships between organisms.
what is phylogenetics
The study of evolutionary history go groups of organisms. It reveals which group a particular organism is related to, and how closely related these organisms are
what is a phylogenetic tree used to do
A phylogenetic tree (or evolutionary tree) is a diagram used to represent the evolutionary relationships between organisms
how are phylogenetic trees produced
Phylogenetic trees are produced by looking at similarities and difference in species physical characteristics and genetic makeup.
what are some advantages of phylogenetic classification
-phylogeny can be down without reference to Linnaean classification
-phylogeny produces a continuous tree whereas classification requires discrete taxonomical groups. Scientists are not forced to put organisms into a specific group that they do not quite fit
- The hierarchalnnature of Linnaean classification can be misleading as it implies different groups within the same rank are equivalent, for example the felidae and the orchidaceae are both families but the orchidaceae have existed for almost 70 million years more, they also have different levels of diversity with around 35 different cat species and 20,000 different orchid species