Key Terms Related to Phylogenies and the History of Life

This text highlights key terms important for the study of organizing life on earth; determining evolutionary relationships; and perspectives on the phylogenetic tree. Advanced Placement® and AP® are trademarks registered and/or owned by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse, this textbook.

Topics

  • analogy
  • basal taxon
  • binomial nomenclature
  • branch point
  • cladistics
  • cladograms
  • class
  • eukaryote-first hypothesis
  • family
  • gene transfer agent (GTA)
  • genome fusion
  • genus
  • horizontal gene transfer (HGT)
  • kingdom
  • maximum parsimony
  • mitochondria-first hypothesis
  • molecular systematics
  • monophyletic group
  • nucleus-first hypothesis
  • order
  • parsimony
  • phylogenetic tree
  • phylogeny
  • phylum
  • polytomy
  • ring of life
  • rooted
  • shared ancestral character
  • shared derived character
  • sister taxa
  • systematics
  • taxon
  • taxonomic classification system
  • taxonomy
  • web of life