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convergent evolution:

he process whereby organisms not closely related (not monophyletic), independently evolvesimilar traits as a result of having to adapt to similar environments or ecological niches.

analogy: they have separate evolutionary origins

homology: characters in different organisms that are similar because they were inherited from a common ancestor that also had that character

systematics: study of biological diversity and its origins

cladogram: a branching diagram showing the cladistic relationship between a number of species.

parsimony: argues that the simplest of competing explanations is the most likely to be correct.

rRNA: ribosomal ribonucleic acid is the RNA component of the ribosome, and is essential for protein synthesis in all living organisms

mtDNA: an extranuclear double-stranded DNA found exclusively in mitochondria that in most eukaryotes is a circular molecule and is maternally inherited

monophyletic: (of a group of organisms) descended from a common evolutionary ancestor or ancestral group, especially one not shared with any other group.

life: Any contiguous living system is called an organism. Organisms undergo metabolism, maintain homeostasis, can grow, respond to stimuli, reproduce and, through natural selection, adapt to their environment in successive generations.

genetic code: the nucleotide triplets of DNA and RNA molecules that carry genetic information in living cells.

metabolism: the sum of the physical and chemical processes in an organism by which its material substance is produced, maintained, and destroyed, and by which energy is made available.

central dogma: each gene in the DNA molecule carries the information needed to construct one protein, which, acting as an enzyme, controls one chemical reaction in the

genes: segments of DNA located on chromosomes.

eukaryotic cells

prokaryotic cells

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