Evolution Vocab

a trait that makes it more likely that an individual will survive in a specific environment

• adaptive trait

• diagnose

• shared structure

• fossil

the process by which species adapt to environmental changes over a very long time

• environment

• organisms

• evolution

• stability

the study of similarities and differences in the physical structures of organisms.

• embryology

• homologous structures

• natural selection

• Comparative anatomy

parts of different organisms that are similar in structure; ex: a human arm, bat wing & whale fin all have similar bones

• paleontologist

• homologous structures

• species

• diversity

a group of the same type of organism living in the same area

• population

• vestigial structure

• decomposition

• comparative anatomy

variety, several different types of organisms

• extinction

• evolution

• organisms

• diversity

the process where one population evolves into two or more different species

• speciation

• ancestor

• stability

• diversity

everything (living and nonliving) that surrounds an organism

• homologous structures

• population

• environment

• speciation

A fossil that shows traits of an ancestor organism and a newer one, bridges 2 organisms together

• intermediate species

• evolutionary time

• limb

• decomposition

breaking down into substances that can be used by other organisms—is part of an organism’s life cycle.

• fossil

• decomposition

• organisms

• common ancestor