Phylogeny - Supplement #3 Flashcards
Phylogeny
representation of evolutionary history based on homology helps to understand the pattern of evolution
Systematics
using data from morphology to molecules estimating evolutionary history
Cladistics
using phylogeny to classify life
branch point
where lineages diverge in a phylogeny
Sister Taxa
two lineages or species that share the most recent common ancestor
Basal Taxon
a lineage that evolved early in the history of life and remains unbranched in a phylogenetic tree
Unresolved Lineage
when a phylogenetic tree has three lineages diverging from an ancestor- it is caused by not knowing which lineage diverged from the ancestor first
Nodes
divergent points on a phylogenetic tree
Why can convergent evolution result in similar morphology?
because the species’ had similar selection pressures
Homoplasty
traits that mislead phylogenetic reconstruction
phylogenetic reconstruction uses parsimony. what is parsimony?
the simplest possible explanation
similar sequences of DNA suggest…
common ancestry
Clades/ Monophyletic Group
most closely related groups include the ancestor and all of its descendants
Polyphyletic Group
a collection of organisms that share similar traits but do not share a recent common ancestor
