Biology 102 | Questions with 100% Verified Answers | Latest
Update 2026/2027
Question: Taxonomy
Answer:
The science of describing, naming, and classifying organisms, Results in the ordered
division of species into groups based on similarities and dissimilarities in their
characteristics.
Question: Anagenesis
Answer:
Question: Homology
Answer:
A similarity that occurs due to descent from a common ancestor (for example the arm of
a human and the wing of a bat are homologous structures)
Question: Shared derived character (synapomorphy)
Answer:
Question: Extant
Answer:
Species that still exist today
,Question: Cladogenesis
Answer:
Question: Cladograms
Answer:
Question: Systematics
Answer:
The study and classification of biological diversity and the evolutionary relationships
among organisms, both extant and extinct.
Question: Node
Answer:
Question: Ingroup
Answer:
The group of interest in a cladogram
Question: Taxon
Answer:
Each group at any level of the taxonomic hierarchy
,Question: Clade
Answer:
Question: Outgroup
Answer:
A species or group of species that is assumed to have diverged before the species in the
ingroup that lacks one or more shared derived characters found in the ingroup.
Question: Phylogeny
Answer:
The evolutionary history of a species or group of species
Question: Monophyletic
Answer:
ALL descendants came from one common ancestor (a taxon that is a clade)
Question: Parsimony
Answer:
the principle that the preferred hypothesis is the one that is simplest for all the characters
and their states
Question: What are the three domains of life?
Answer:
Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya
Question: Describe the organization of taxonomical hierarchy from the
most inclusive to the most exclusive (i.e. from domain to
species).
Answer:
The order of the taxonomic hierarchy is:
domain>supergroup>kingdom>phylum>class>order>family>genus>species
, Question: Understand how species is named based on binomial
nomenclature, as well as the scientific convention for its
presentation (i.e. genus name is always capitalized, both
names are italicized, etc).
Answer:
As originally advocated by Linneas, binomial nomenclature is the standard method for
naming species. The scientific name of every species has two names, its genus name and
its unique, specific epithet. An example is the gray wolf, Canis lupis. The genus name is
capitalized, but the specific epithet is not. Both names are italicized. After the first
mention, the genus name is often abbreviated to a single letter.
Question: Identify clades, nodes, branches and outgroups on a
phylogenetic tree
Answer:
Question: Explain the difference between monophyletic, polyphyletic,
and paraphyletic groups
Answer:
Question: Identify taxa (groups of organisms) that are monophyletic,
paraphyletic, and polyphyletic on a phylogenetic tree
Answer:
Question: Explain how study of synapormophies (i.e. shared derived
characters) are fundamental to the field of phylogeny.
Answer:
Populations of organisms with new traits are derived from changes in pre-existing
populations. The basis of the cladistic approach is to analyze many shared derived
characters among groups of species to deduce the pathway that gave rise to those
species.
Update 2026/2027
Question: Taxonomy
Answer:
The science of describing, naming, and classifying organisms, Results in the ordered
division of species into groups based on similarities and dissimilarities in their
characteristics.
Question: Anagenesis
Answer:
Question: Homology
Answer:
A similarity that occurs due to descent from a common ancestor (for example the arm of
a human and the wing of a bat are homologous structures)
Question: Shared derived character (synapomorphy)
Answer:
Question: Extant
Answer:
Species that still exist today
,Question: Cladogenesis
Answer:
Question: Cladograms
Answer:
Question: Systematics
Answer:
The study and classification of biological diversity and the evolutionary relationships
among organisms, both extant and extinct.
Question: Node
Answer:
Question: Ingroup
Answer:
The group of interest in a cladogram
Question: Taxon
Answer:
Each group at any level of the taxonomic hierarchy
,Question: Clade
Answer:
Question: Outgroup
Answer:
A species or group of species that is assumed to have diverged before the species in the
ingroup that lacks one or more shared derived characters found in the ingroup.
Question: Phylogeny
Answer:
The evolutionary history of a species or group of species
Question: Monophyletic
Answer:
ALL descendants came from one common ancestor (a taxon that is a clade)
Question: Parsimony
Answer:
the principle that the preferred hypothesis is the one that is simplest for all the characters
and their states
Question: What are the three domains of life?
Answer:
Bacteria, Archaea, Eukarya
Question: Describe the organization of taxonomical hierarchy from the
most inclusive to the most exclusive (i.e. from domain to
species).
Answer:
The order of the taxonomic hierarchy is:
domain>supergroup>kingdom>phylum>class>order>family>genus>species
, Question: Understand how species is named based on binomial
nomenclature, as well as the scientific convention for its
presentation (i.e. genus name is always capitalized, both
names are italicized, etc).
Answer:
As originally advocated by Linneas, binomial nomenclature is the standard method for
naming species. The scientific name of every species has two names, its genus name and
its unique, specific epithet. An example is the gray wolf, Canis lupis. The genus name is
capitalized, but the specific epithet is not. Both names are italicized. After the first
mention, the genus name is often abbreviated to a single letter.
Question: Identify clades, nodes, branches and outgroups on a
phylogenetic tree
Answer:
Question: Explain the difference between monophyletic, polyphyletic,
and paraphyletic groups
Answer:
Question: Identify taxa (groups of organisms) that are monophyletic,
paraphyletic, and polyphyletic on a phylogenetic tree
Answer:
Question: Explain how study of synapormophies (i.e. shared derived
characters) are fundamental to the field of phylogeny.
Answer:
Populations of organisms with new traits are derived from changes in pre-existing
populations. The basis of the cladistic approach is to analyze many shared derived
characters among groups of species to deduce the pathway that gave rise to those
species.
