Key Terms Related to Phylogenies and the History of Life

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