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What is Natural selection
The process where organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring
Wnat is the difference between divergent and convergent evolution
divergent-occurs when one species diverges into multiple descendant species.
Convergent evolution occurs when species have different ancestral origins but have developed similar features.
What is taxonomy?
the science of classifying organisms and assigning each a universally accepted name
Elephants and dolphins belong to the same class _______
Mammalia
What is the purpose of cladograms?
hows the evolutionary relationships among a group of organisms.
What is Genetic drift
the process in which allele frequencies of a population change over generations due to chance.
What is a Vestigial structure
body parts of organisms that do not have a specific function; any structure that has lost its specific use
What are the 2 parts of the scientific name?
genus and species
Which taxon includes the broadest, most general characteristics (and the most organisms)?
Kingdom
what is a shared derived characteristics
characteristics that 2 or more organisms share with their most recent ancestor.
What causes mutations and what how does it relate to evolution?
A change in an organism’s DNA; a source of genetic variation serving as raw material for evolution to act.
What is the difference between homologous and analogous structures?
Homologous Structures: body parts of organisms that have the same structure, but different functions. Can indicate evolutionary relationships
Analogous Structures: body parts of organisms that have different structure, but the same functions. Does not indicate shared ancestry
Canis familiaris (the domestic dog) and Canis latrans (the coyote) are members of the same _______
genus
A group of related families are in the same ______
order
Explain the following statement: “Selection occurs within generations; evolution occurs between generations.”
Selection, meaning the survival of the fittest, occurs during a single generation. Some individuals will live, and some will die. Evolution takes many more generations to see the effects, because evolution is the change in genes in a population over time.
What is Nonrandom mating
when the probability that two individuals in a population will mate is not the same for all possible pairs of individuals
What is the purpose of DNA sequencing?
comparing the DNA sequences of organisms can show how closely or distantly related two organisms are
In which group would there be the greatest similarity between members in terms of structure and function?
species
Within which category do the organisms show the least variation in characteristics?
species
According to Darwin’s theory of natural selection, individuals who survive are the ones best adapted for their environment. Their survival is due to What?
possession of inherited adaptations that maximize fitness.
What Occurs when organisms move into (immigration) and out of (emigration) a population changing the allele frequency within the population; also called migration
Gene flow
Some molecular data place the giant panda in the bear family (Ursidae) but place the lesser panda in the raccoon family (Procyonidae). Consequently, the physical similarities of these two species are probably due to _______
analogous structures
What is the order of the classification categories?
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
Species
Earthworms, hydras, grasshoppers and humans all belong to the same _______
kingdom
What is the benefit for a male peacock that has a lot of spots on his feathers?
looks healthier and attracts more mates--> nonrandom mating