| A | B |
|---|
| extinction | end of an evolutionary line or the end of a species, family, or larger group of organisms |
| fossil | physical evidence of an organism that lived long ago |
| fossil record | collection of fossils that represents the preserved history of living things on earth |
| homologous structure | anatomically similar structure that indicates a shared ancestry |
| species | a group of organisms that can breed with one another and produce fertile offspring in a natural environment |
| camoflage | adaptation that allows an organism to blend in with their environment |
| ancestral trait | featuresthat appear in ancestral forms of a species |
| natural selection | Darwin proposed that this process could produce new species of organisms |
| isotopic dating | a technique utilizing the known rates of decay of radioactive elements to pinpoint the age of a rock or fossil |
| evolution | hereditary changes in living organisms over time |
| divergent evolution | the different sizes and shapes of the beaks of birds is an illustration of this |
| artificial selection | humans choosing the breeding or organisms for certain traits |
| mimicry | an adaptation in which one species evolves to resemble another species |
| derived trait | traits that are similar in function, but show no common ancestry |
| analogous structure | features that are similar in function but not in structure and evolutionary origin |
| adaptation | a characteristic that increases an organism's chance of survival and reproductive success |
| sedimentary | type of rock that fossils are typically found in |
| paleontologist | a scientist who studies fossils |
| Charles Darwin | the 'Father of Evolution' |
| Galapagos Islands | island that Darwin visited and made famous |
| HMS Beagle | name of Darwin's ship |
