Understanding Diversity: Systematics Flashcards

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1
Q

Systematics

A

It is the scientific study of the diversity of organisms and their evolutionary relationships.

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2
Q

Taxonomy

A

It is the branch of systematics devoted to naming, describing and clasifying organisms.

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3
Q

Classification

A

It is the process of arranging organisms into groups based on similarities that reflect evolutionary relationships.

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4
Q

Hierarchical system of classification includes

A
Domain
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species.
Each formal grouping at any given level is a taxon.
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5
Q

Three-domain classification

A

Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya. Eukarya includes the fungi, plants, animals and protists.
It is based on molecular data.

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6
Q

Interpret a cladogram

A

Each branch represents a clade or a group of organisms with a common ancestor. Each node, or branching point, represents the splitting of two or more new groups from a common ancestor. The node represents the most recent common ancestor of the clade represented by the branches. The root represents the most recent common ancestor of all the clades shown in the tree.

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7
Q

Vertical gene transfer

A

Genes are transmitted from parent to offspring within the same species.

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8
Q

Horizontal gene transfer

A

Genes are exchanged between one genome and another within one taxon or between genomes in different taxons. Genes move from one indivual to another or from one species to another species in the same generation.

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9
Q

Homology

A

The presence in two or more species of a trait derived from a common ancestor. It impies evolution from a common ancestor.

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10
Q

Convergent evolution

A

Independent evolution of similar structures in distantly related organisms.

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11
Q

Homoplasy

A

It refers to superficially similar characters that are not homologous.

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12
Q

Shared ancestral characters

A

They suggest a distant common ancestor.

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13
Q

Shared derived characters (Synapomorphies)

A

They indicate a more recent common ancestor and can be used as evidence for constructing cladograms.

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14
Q

Molecular systematics

A

Comparisons of nucleotide sequences in DNA and RNA, and of amino acid sequences in proteins, provide important information about how closely organisms are related.

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15
Q

Monophyletic group

A

It includes all the descendants of the most recent common ancestor.

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16
Q

Paraphyletic group

A

It consists of a common ancestor and some of, but not all, its descendants.

17
Q

Poluphyletic group

A

It consists of organisms that evolved from different recent ancestors.

18
Q

Outgroup analysis

A

An outgroup is a taxon that diverged earlier than any of the other taxa being investigated. They are used to determine which characters in a given group of taxa are ancestral and which are derived.

19
Q

Parsimony

A

The simplest explanation to interpret the data.