Evolution

2. • Evolution not only explains why animals appear and function as they do,
but also explains family relationships within the animal kingdom
• Groups of individuals are more closely related if they share more of
their genetic material (DNA) with each other than with individuals in
other groups
• For example, the origin of Lake Victoria’s cichlid species has been
traced to an invasion of ancestral cichlids, probably from Lake Kivu
approximately 100,000 years ago. Today, Lake Kivu has only 15
species of cichlids. This invasion continued up to about 40,000 years
ago when volcanic eruptions isolated the fauna of Lakes Kivu and
Victor

3. • Carl von Linne (1707–1778) is primarily remembered for collecting and
classifying plants, his system of naming—binomial nomenclature—has also
been adopted for animals.
• A two-part name describes each kind of organism. The first part is the genus
name, and the second part is the species
• For example, the cichlid scale-eater Perissodus microlepis—is recognized
throughout the world by its two part species name