Modern Evolutionary Classification Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Evolutionary Classification Phylogeny is the study of evolutionary relationships among organisms. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Evolutionary Classification Biologists currently group organisms into categories that represent lines of evolutionary descent, or phylogeny, not just physical similarities. The strategy of grouping organisms is based on evolutionary history and is called evolutionary classification. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Evolutionary Classification The higher the level of the taxon, the further back in time is the common ancestor of all the organisms in the taxon. Organisms that appear very similar may not share a recent common ancestor. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Evolutionary Classification Different Methods of Classification Crustaceans Mollusk Appendages Conical Shells Crab Barnacle Limpet Crab Barnacle Limpet Molted external skeleton Early systems of classification grouped organisms together based on visible similarities. That approach might result in classifying limpets and barnacles together (left). Biologists now group organisms into categories that represent lines of evolutionary descent, or phylogeny, not just physical similarities. Crabs and barnacles are now grouped together (right) because they share several characteristics that indicate that they are more closely related to each other than either is to limpets. These characteristics include segmented bodies, jointed limbs, and an external skeleton that is shed during growth. Tiny free-swimming larva Segmentation CLASSIFICATION BASED ON VISIBLE SIMILARITY CLADOGRAM Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Classification Using Cladograms Many biologists now use a method called cladistic analysis. Characteristics that appear in recent parts of a lineage but not in its older members are called derived characters. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Classification Using Cladograms Derived characters can be used to construct a cladogram, a diagram that shows the evolutionary relationships among a group of organisms. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Classification Using Cladograms A cladogram shows the evolutionary relationships between crabs, barnacles, and limpets. Crustaceans Mollusk Crab Barnacle Limpet Early systems of classification grouped organisms together based on visible similarities. That approach might result in classifying limpets and barnacles together. Biologists now group organisms into categories that represent lines of evolutionary descent, or phylogeny, not just physical similarities. Crabs and barnacles are now grouped together because they share several characteristics that indicate that they are more closely related to each other than either is to limpets. These characteristics include segmented bodies, jointed limbs, and an external skeleton that is shed during growth. Molted external skeleton Segmentation Tiny free-swimming larva Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Similarities in DNA and RNA The genes of many organisms show important similarities at the molecular level. Similarities in DNA can be used to help determine classification and evolutionary relationships. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Similarities in DNA and RNA The genes of many organisms show important similarities at the molecular level. Similarities in DNA can be used to help determine classification and evolutionary relationships. Copyright Pearson Prentice Hall

Molecular Clocks A gene in an ancestral species Molecular Clocks A molecular clock uses DNA comparisons to estimate the length of time that two species have been evolving independently. 2 mutations 2 mutations new mutation new mutation new mutation Species Species Species A B C