clade
Ancestral descent group
A clade is a group consisting of an ancestor and all its descendants—a single branch of the tree of life.
In biology, clades are the fundamental units of evolutionary classification: birds form a clade, as do mammals, as do all vertebrates.
Dinosaurs and birds belong to the same clade.
The concept matters because it groups organisms by actual evolutionary relationships rather than superficial similarities.
From one ancestral lineage
- cladisticsClassification by common descent
- phylogenyEvolutionary relationships among organisms
- nodeConnection point in networks
- branchDivision or woody limb
tree · ingroup · outgroup · bifurcation · divergence · splitting
Systematic grouping by traits
- systematicsScience of classifying organisms
- taxonClassificatory group of organisms
- genusTaxonomic rank above species
- familyRelated people together
order · phylum · kingdom · domain · nomenclature · rank · grouping · binomial
Descent from progenitors
- descentDownward slope or lineage
- progenitorAncestor or originator
- heredityGenetic trait transmission
- genealogyStudy of family descent
bloodline · pedigree · forebears · descendants · progeny · inheritance · ancestral · origin
Formation of distinct species
- diversificationExpanding into varied areas
- macroevolutionEvolutionary change above species
- microevolutionSmall hereditary changes within populations
- mutationPermanent DNA alteration
monophyletic
From one ancestral lineage
- cladisticsClassification by common descent
- phylogenyEvolutionary relationships among organisms
- nodeConnection point in networks
branch · tree · ingroup · outgroup · bifurcation · divergence · splitting
classification
Systematic grouping by traits
- systematicsScience of classifying organisms
- taxonClassificatory group of organisms
- genusTaxonomic rank above species
family · order · phylum · kingdom · domain · nomenclature · rank · grouping · binomial · Linnaean
lineage
Descent from progenitors
- descentDownward slope or lineage
- progenitorAncestor or originator
- heredityGenetic trait transmission
genealogy · bloodline · pedigree · forebears · descendants · progeny · inheritance · ancestral · origin · relatedness
speciation
Formation of distinct species
- diversificationExpanding into varied areas
- macroevolutionEvolutionary change above species
- microevolutionSmall hereditary changes within populations
mutation · extinction · survival · radiation · origination
- classificationsclassified, hierarchical, class, unclassified, categorical
- zoologymammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, insects
- biological organizationcell, organ, tissue, organism, organ system
- taxakingdom, species, subspecies, phylum, Rodentia
- taxonomygenus, species, taxon, kingdom, phylum
- macroevolutionmacroevolution, speciation, extinction, fossil record, common descent