1.
adaption: inherited characteristic that increases an organism's chance of survival
2.
artificial selection: selection by humans for breeding of useful traits from the natural variation among different organisms
3.
common descent: principle that all living things were derived from common ancestors
4.
descent with modification: principle that each living species has descended, with changes, from other species over time
5.
evolution: change in a kind of organism over time; process by which modern organisms have descended from ancient organisms
6.
fitness: ability of an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment
7.
fossil: preserved remains or evidence of an ancient organism
8.
homologous structures: structures that have different mature forms in different organisms but develop from the same embryonic tissues
9.
natural selection: process by which individuals that are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully; also called survival of the fittest
10.
struggle for existence: competition among members of a species for food, living space, and the other necessities of life
11.
survival of the fittest: process by which individuals that are better suited to their environment survive and reproduce most successfully; also called natural selection
12.
theory: well-tested explanation that unifies a broad range of observations
13.
vestigial organ: organ that serves no useful function in an organism