Macroevolution, Taxonomy, and Phylogeny Flashcards Preview

Biological Anthropology > Macroevolution, Taxonomy, and Phylogeny > Flashcards

Flashcards in Macroevolution, Taxonomy, and Phylogeny Deck (47)
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1
Q

The Tertiary period began…

A

65 mya

2
Q

The Pliocene epoch began…

A

5 mya

3
Q

What does interspecific mean?

A

That the variation between 2 samples is due to the fact that they are from different species (and can not reproduce)

4
Q

What is punctuated equilibrium?

A

The theory that rapid change takes place in a short period of time, often due to a speciation event/mutation that led one variation to be so beneficial that the other did not survive

This change is both preceded and followed by long periods of stasis

5
Q

What did John Ray do?

A

Classified plants using observable data (empirical approach)

Came up with the concept of “species”

6
Q

What is an incipient species?

A

The beginning of a new species (a group that is about to become a seperate species from other related individuals)

7
Q

What is phyletic gradualism?

A

This is the theory that small changes accumulate in lineages over long periods of time, resulting in a slow but steady divergence and eventual speciation

Also called “Darwinian Evolution”

8
Q

What is the goal of classifying organisms?

A

To reflect evolutionary relationships (phylogeny)

9
Q

The first vertebrates appeared…

A

500 mya during the Paleozoic era

10
Q

The Quaternary period consists of what epochs?

A

Holocene and Pleistocene

11
Q

What is homoplasy?

A

The term that describes analogous features (also called characters); developed by different groups of organisms independently and not through shared ancestry.

12
Q

“Father of Taxonomy”

A

Carolus Linnaeus

13
Q

The Holocene epoch began…

A

.01 mya (10,000 years)

14
Q

The Paleocene epoch began…

A

65 mya

15
Q

The Pleistocene epoch began…

A

1.8 mya

16
Q

The Eocene epoch began…

A

55 mya

17
Q

Describe Linnaeus’ system of taxonomy

A

A hierarchical system that classifies organisms into inclusive categories, from most inclusive to least inclusive

18
Q

Describe parapatric speciation

A

When 2 populations have overlapping geographic ranges, resulting in only partial reproductive isolation

The geographic ranges are different enough that they result in selection for different variations, and seperate enough that gene flow is reduced (increasing variation between the populations)

The interbreeding between the 2 populations results in an incipient species

19
Q

The Miocene epoch began…

A

23 mya

20
Q

Describe sympatric speciation

A

There is no geographic or reproductive isolation, but some niche causes a reduction in gene flow and results in random speciation

More theoretical than empirical

21
Q

The Oligocene epoch began…

A

34 mya

22
Q

The science of naming and classifying

A

Taxonomy

23
Q

What is the biological species concept?

A

The idea that a species is a group of actually or potentially interbreeding individuals who are reproductively isolated from other groups

i.e. only members of the same species can produce fertile offspring

24
Q

What are the important factors in determining a fossil species?

A

Deciding if variation is interspecific or intraspecific

Comparing to modern reference samples

Dealing with the problem of time (tempo of speciation and not knowing time frame)

25
Q

What are the 3 modes of speciation?

A

Allopatric

Parapatric

Sympatric

26
Q

When does speciation occur?

A

When a group splits and becomes so isolated from each other that they are no longer able to reproduce

27
Q

The first placental mammals appeared…

A

70 mya during the Mesozoic era (reptiles were the dominant land vertebrates)

28
Q

The Cenozoic era consists of what periods?

A

Quaternary and Tertiary

29
Q

What is the purpose of reconstructing phylogeny and how is it done?

A

The purpose is to find out what the evolutionary relationships are

It is done by identifying homologous traits (homologies) and analogous traits (analogies)

30
Q

When naming an organism at the species level, you must also include the…

A

Genus

31
Q

The Cenozoic era is divided into…

A

2 periods (Tertiary and Quaternary) and 7 epochs (Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, Pliocene, Pleistocene, and Holocene)

32
Q

How is phyletic gradualism different than punctuated equilibrium?

A

Phyletic gradualism involves slow changes happening over a long period of time, whereas punctuated equilibrium involves rapid periods of change followed by long periods of stasis.

33
Q

The Quaternary period began…

A

1.8 mya

34
Q

Traits that reflect the ancestral condition (i.e. the ancestor had them as well)

A

Primitive

35
Q

Traits that were not present before the groups appearance (i.e. the ancestor did not have them)

A

Derived

36
Q

List the categories of Linnaeus’ taxonomy system, from most inclusive to least inclusive

A

Kingdom

Phylum

Class

Order

Family

Genus

Species

37
Q

What is a homologous trait?

A

Structures that are shared by multiple species through descent from a common ancestor

i.e. human feet and tarsier feet

38
Q

What are the 2 approaches to taxonomy?

A

Evolutionary systematics

Cladistics

39
Q

What are the similarities between evolutionary systematics and cladistics?

A

They attempt to reflect phylogeny in taxonomy

They compare specific features in organisms (some more informative than others)

They focus on homologies

40
Q

A group of organisms that includes and ancestor and ALL descendants of that ancestor

A

Clade

41
Q

Describe allopatric speciation

A

When geographic isolation interupts gene flow, resulting in a total reproductive isolation

Without gene flow, variation between the 2 groups INCREASES (different adaptations occur at different rates)

42
Q

List the human taxonomy

A

Kingdom = Animalia

Phylum = Chordata

Class = Mammalia

Order = Primates

Family = Hominidae

Genus = Homo

Species = Homo sapiens

43
Q

What is an analogous trait?

A

Structures used for the same function that developed independently due to natural selection (similar response to environmental pressures); NOT developed through common descent

i.e. wings of birds, bats, and insects

44
Q

What is phylogeny?

A

Evolutionary relationships

45
Q

What does intraspecific mean?

A

That the variation between 2 samples is within the same species, possibly due to sexual dimorphism or age

46
Q

The first primates likely appeared in the…

A

Paleocene epoch (Tertiary period, Cenozoic era)

47
Q

The Teriary period consists of what epochs?

A

Pliocene, Miocene, Oligocene, Eocene, and Paleocene