What is the focus of the branch of biology called taxonomy?

Explain why changes in the regulation of developmental genes may have played such a large role in the evolution of new forms.

What types of molecular comparisons are used to determine the very early branching of the tree of life? Explain.

A paleontologist compares fossils from three dinosaurs and Archaeopteryx, the earliest-known bird. The following table shows the distribution of characters for each species, where 1 means that the character is present and 0 means it is not. The outgroup (not shown in the table) had none of the characters. Arrange these species on the phylogenetic tree below and indicate the derived character that defines each branch point.

The analytical approach to understanding the diversity and relatedness of both extant and extinct organisms is called __________.

The binomial system assigns to each organism a unique name that describes its __________.

The two-part format of the scientific name, referred to as binomial, ensures that __________.

Which of the following is the correct taxonomic name for the African forest elephant?

A taxon __________.