Systematics - Exam 1

Question 1

Biological Species Concept

Answer 1

Species are groups of interbreeding (or potentially interbreeding) natural populations that are reproductively isolated from other such groups.

Question 2

Evolutionary Species Concept

Answer 2

An evolutionary species is a lineage (an ancestral-dependent sequence of populations) evolving separately from others with its own unitary evolutionary role and tendencies.

Question 3

Phylogenetic Species Concept

Answer 3

A phylogenetic species is an irreducible (basal) cluster of organisms, diagnosably distinct from other such clusters, and within which there is a parental pattern of ancestry and descent.

Question 4

Analogy

Answer 4

Similarity of structure based on convergence and not inheritance from a common ancestor

Question 5

Apomorphy

Answer 5

A derived character state (a new state derived from an ancestral state).

Question 6

Biodiversity

Answer 6

Reference to abundance of species and all aspects of their biology.

Question 7

Character

Answer 7

Any item such as a physical structure, genetic marker, or behavior that can have more than one form (character state) that is useful for identification or phylogenetic interpretation.

Question 8

Character state

Answer 8

Any condition of a character that can be quantified or qualified.

Question 9

Clade

Answer 9

A monophyletic group of organisms based on a phylogenetic hypothesis.

Question 10

Cladistics

Answer 10

Philosophy of grouping organisms based on the possession of apomorphies.

Question 11

Classification

Answer 11

Noun - arrangement of organisms into a hierarchical series of nested categories that are arranged to reflect relationships to one another.

Question 12

Epistemology

Answer 12

Study of knowledge and how knowledge is acquired. [ for your interest only: Three types (Fictionism, Phenomenalism and Realism). Realists believe in species as “real” entities. Three other areas of Philosophy are Logic, Metaphysics and Ethics (see Wiley 1981 for more info).] Systematists today use the epistemological or methodological approach to gathering knowledge.

Question 13

Genealogy

Answer 13

A record of the descent of one or more entities from an ancestor. Phylogenetic trees are genealogies on the level of populations, species and higher taxa.

Question 14

Genotype

Answer 14

1) the genetic composition of an organism.

2) the type species of a genus [not a recommended use].

Question 15

Grade

Answer 15

A group of organisms that do not include all of the descendants of a common ancestor; a paraphyletic grouping.

Question 16

Homology

Answer 16

Similarity of structures based on inheritance from a common ancestor.

Question 17

Monophyletic

Answer 17

A group of organisms that includes a common ancestor and all of its descendants.

Question 18

Paraphyletic

Answer 18

A group of organisms that includes the common ancestor, but not all of its descendants.

Question 19

Phenetics

Answer 19

Philosophy of grouping organisms based on shared similarities.

Question 20

Phylogeny

Answer 20

A graphical representation of the evolutionary history of a group of organisms.

Question 21

Polyphyletic

Answer 21

An unnatural group of organisms that do not share an immediate common ancestor (usually based on phenetic similarity).

Question 22

Species

Answer 22

Taxonomic category. Based on a number of definitions but always is used to represent the unit of evolution. For example, species evolve into new species, individuals do not. Will be discussed in detail later.

Question 23

Systematics

Answer 23

A broad term that generally refers to taxonomy and all of the related subject areas that deal with the occurrence, identification, and evolutionary history of a group.

Question 24

Taxon (pl. Taxa)

Answer 24

Definable taxonomic unit that can be recognized, whether described or not (formal or informal group; eg. subspecies, species, group of species, etc.).

Question 25

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Answer 25

The order of animal classification (Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, species, subspecies) or plant classification (Kingdom, Division, Class, Order, Family, Genus, species, subspecies)

Question 26

Allopatric (Allopatry)

Answer 26

distribution pattern of two or more separate geographic areas

Question 27

Morphological Species Concept

Answer 27

Species recognized by phonetic differences or gaps that are assumed to represent some form of reproductive isolation, reproductive recognition (not the same isolation) or cohesive group of organisms that evolve in a similar manner

Question 28

Pattern

Answer 28

the by-product of evolution. As organisms (populations) originate and diversify over time, an increasingly complex system of relationships arise which reflects the history of evolution. Discovering this pattern of relationships is a major goal of systematics.

Question 29

Process

Answer 29

the mechanisms of evolution. The forces that drive the formation of new lineages and the divergence of existing lineages. Understanding the origin of diversity helps to illuminate the resulting pattern.

Question 30

Linnaeus

Answer 30

a. highly ordered system of classification and naming | b. binomial nomenclature

Question 31

Synapomorphy

Answer 31

Derived or apomorphous character (evolutionary novelty) shared by two or more taxa and indicating common ancestry

Question 32

supraspecific taxon

Answer 32

an assemblage of two or more species or higher level taxa.

Question 33

Species

Answer 33

The basic units of evolution. New species arise by division of an existing species into a new group of individuals reproductively isolated or at least ecologically distinct from the original species.

Question 34

natural taxon

Answer 34

exists in nature independent of man’s ability to perceive it (Wiley 1981), and is comprised of a group of organisms (species) that share the same common ancestor.

Question 35

Holotype

Answer 35

Single specimen designated as the type by the original author at the time of original publication of the species name.

Question 36

Syntype

Answer 36

Every specimen of a type series in which no holotype has been designated (same as cotype).

Question 37

Lectotype

Answer 37

One of a series of specimens originally designated as the type series that is subsequently designated through publication to serve as the type.

Question 38

Paratype

Answer 38

One of the remaining types after the holotype has been designated.

Question 39

Paralectotype

Answer 39

One of the remaining syntypes after the lectotype has been designated.

Question 40

Neotype

Answer 40

Specimen selected as the type, where the original specimens are known to have been destroyed or lost.

Question 41

Senior Synonym

Answer 41

valid, available name with priority

Question 42

Junior Synonym

Answer 42

younger available name (not valid)

Question 43

Objective Synonym

Answer 43

* Based on nomenclature, NOT biology * family group names with same type genus * genus group names with same type species * species names based on same specimen (rare)

Question 44

Subjective synonym

Answer 44

* Mostly based on biology (subjective decision!!!) | * Most common type