Genetics and Phylogeny Matching Quiz

Study Notes

Gene: A segment of DNA that codes for a specific trait or protein.
Allele: An alternative form of a gene.
Dominant Allele: An allele that masks the effect of a recessive allele in a heterozygote.
Recessive Allele: An allele whose effect is masked in the presence of a dominant allele.
Genotype: The genetic makeup of an organism (e.g., AA, Aa, aa).
Phenotype: The observable physical or biochemical characteristics of an organism.
Homozygous: Having two identical alleles for a gene (e.g., AA or aa).
Heterozygous: Having two different alleles for a gene (e.g., Aa).
Locus: The specific location of a gene on a chromosome.
Monohybrid Cross: A genetic cross involving one trait.

Shared Derived Character: A trait shared by a group of organisms but not found in distant ancestors.
Homology: Similarity due to common ancestry.
Monophyletic Group: A group that includes an ancestral species and all its descendants.
Maximum Parsimony: The simplest explanation or evolutionary tree requiring the fewest changes.
Character: A heritable trait or feature of an organism.
Outgroup: A species or group used as a reference to determine ancestral traits.
Paraphyletic Group: A group that includes an ancestor but not all its descendants.
Maximum Likelihood: A statistical method to determine the most likely evolutionary tree.
Analogous Structures: Similar traits that evolved independently (convergent evolution).
Ancestral Character: A trait that originated in a common ancestor.