Taxonomy
Science of classifying and naming organisms
Taxon
Level within the Linnaean system of classification that is organized into a nested hierarchy
Binomial nomenclature
Naming system in which each species is given a two part scientific name (genus and species) using Latin words
Genus
First name in binomial nomenclature the second most specific taxon in the Linnaean classification system that includes one or more physical similar species which are thought to be closely related
Phylogeny
Evolutionary history of a group of related species
Cladistics
Method of organizing species by environmental relationships in which species are grouped according to the order that they diverged from their ancestral line
Cladogram
Diagram that displays proposed evolutionary relationships among a group of species
Derived characters
Trait that differs in structure or function from that found in the ancestral line for a group of species used in constructing cladograms
Molecular clock
Theoretical clock that uses the rate of mutation to measure evolutionary time
Mitochondrial DNA
DNA found only in mitochondria often used as a molecular clock
Ribosomal RNA
RNA that is in the ribosome and guides that translation of mRNA into a protein also used as a molecular clock
Bacteria
One of the three domains of,life containing single called prokaryotes in the Kingdom of Bacteria
Archaea
One of three domains if life containing single called prokaryotes in the Kingdom of Archaea
Eukarya
One of three domains of life contains all eukaryotes in the Kingdom Protista, Plantae, and Fungi , Animalia