Taxonomy and Phylogeny

Question 1

What is classification?

Answer 1

The process of grouping objects into categories based on shared qualities

Question 2

Why classify?

Answer 2

Identification of similarities and differences
Pattern recognition
Allows for evaluation
Allows for extrapolation
Detection of relationships
Effective and efficient communication

Question 3

What is taxonomy?

Answer 3

the SCIENCE of classification

Question 4

Linnaeus gave us a two word naming system for species:

Answer 4

binomial nomenclature

Question 5

Linnaeus gave us a _______ system by grouping smaller categories into larger ones

Answer 5

nested hierarchal classification

Question 6

Nomenclature definition:

Answer 6

system for naming biodiversity

Question 7

Taxon:

Answer 7

a group with a specific rank into which related organisms are classified
a general term for any taxonomic group

Question 8

Nomenclature - every name carries 3 pieces of information, what are they?

Answer 8

1. Circumscription
2. Rank
3. Position

Question 9

What is circumscription?

Answer 9

to encircle. all the characteristics that define the taxon

Question 10

What is rank?

Answer 10

the level in the taxonomic hierarchy

Question 11

What is position?

Answer 11

WITHIN which group does the taxa belong

Question 12

Nomenclature rules:

Answer 12

Published on paper
Principle of type
Principle of one name (only one name for a particular circumscription, position and rank)
Principle of priority (synonyms, metonym, homonym)
Binomial nomenclature (Linnaeus)

Question 13

Binomial Nomenclature: Species names ALWAYS:

Answer 13

have two names
Italicized (typed); underlined (hand written)
generic name + specific epithet

Question 14

Binomial Nomenclature: Generic names:

Answer 14

genus; singular noun; Latin; capitalized

Question 15

Binomial Nomenclature: Specific Epithet:

Answer 15

lower case; usually descriptive; has to agree in gender to genus

Question 16

species and genera are both:

Answer 16

plural and singular

Question 17

when writing, treat a species name as ___

Answer 17

singular

Question 18

taxonomy provides…

Answer 18

a frame work for understanding biodiversity, an informative language for communication about biodiversity, and the information necessary for the reconstruction of ecological and evolutionary relationships

Question 19

taxonomy is…

Answer 19

the frame work on which other pieces of biological knowledge are hung allowing for evaluation ad extrapolation

Question 20

taxonomy reveals…

Answer 20

ecological and evolutionary phenomena on need of further study

Question 21

How is classification different from identification

Answer 21

Classification is the process of grouping objects onto categories based on shared qualities
Identification is relating an unknown to groups in a previously established classification

Question 22

What is systematics

Answer 22

the study of the evolutionary processes and relationships responsible for biological diversity

Question 23

What is phylogeny

Answer 23

a hypothesis of the evolutionary history among various taxa

Question 24

what is a node

Answer 24

a branching point on a tree

Question 25

what are the three domains

Answer 25

bacteria, archaea, eukarya

Question 26

Terminal node:

Answer 26

where taxa of study are ALWAYS located

Question 27

Internal node:

Answer 27

common ancestor of the lineages descending from this branching point

Question 28

Lineage:

Answer 28

a continuous line of descent between nodes

Question 29

Branch:

Answer 29

evolutionary connections between nodes in a phylogeny

Question 30

Root:

Answer 30

lineage or branch shared by all descendants on a tree

Question 31

Polytomy:

Answer 31

a section of a phylogeny in which the evolutionary relationships can not be fully resolved to dichotomies

Question 32

Clade:

Answer 32

a group consisting of a single common ancestor and ALL of its descendants

Question 33

Basal lineage/basal clade:

Answer 33

the earliest diverging lineage

Question 34

Sister taxa:

Answer 34

taxa or clades that share a most recent common ancestor

Question 35

Our group:

Answer 35

a lineage in a phylogenetic analysis that falls outside the clade (group) of interest

Question 36

Cladistics (phylogenetics):

Answer 36

classifies living organisms on the basis of monophyletic groups

Question 37

monophyletic clade:

Answer 37

includes an ancestor and all of its descendants

Question 38

paraphyletic clade:

Answer 38

contains the common ancestor but not all of its descendants

Question 39

polyphyletic clade:

Answer 39

will have several evolutionary lines that do not necessarily include the most recent common ancestor taxa

Question 40

Homologous structure:

Answer 40

similar structures derived from a common ancestor

Question 41

Symplesiomorphy:

Answer 41

shared ancestral characters. a trait that is shared by two or more groups due to inheritance from a DISTANT common ancestor

Question 42

Synapomorphy:

Answer 42

shared derived characters. a novel evolutionary trait that is shared by two or more groups due to inheritance from an IMMEDIATE common ancestor

Question 43

homoplasy:

Answer 43

when similar structures are acquired by convergent evolution without a common ancestor traits evolve more than once wings

Question 44

convergent evolution:

Answer 44

filling the same niche but not the same animal

Question 45

Biological species concept:

Answer 45

a population or group of populations that is reproductively isolated

Question 46

morphological species concept:

Answer 46

a species is a diagnosable cluster of individuals within which there is a pattern on ancestry and descent, and beyond which there is not

Question 47

ecological species concept:

Answer 47

a species is a set of organisms exploiting (or adapted to) a single niche

Question 48

phylogenetic species concept:

Answer 48

the smallest set of organisms that share an ancestor and can be distinguished from other sets

Question 49

Why should taxonomy be based on synapomorphies and monophyly?

Answer 49

``` focus on homology emphasize potential out-group diversity illustrate potential ing-roup uniformity focus on novel characteristics make hypothesis comparable by having a common standard ```