Variation, selection, inheritance — and the words that lay no purpose on anybody.
Practise this list
From these 40 words, as many per round as you like — up to all of them: first what is due today, then new ones. First you choose, then you fill the gap, then you write it yourself. Mistakes come back again shortly.
More about this list
The twentieth entry is o órgão análogo, and the adjective behind it is one English has quietly split in two. Here it does the older work: an analogous organ does the same job as another without descending from it, the insect wing beside the bird wing, alike because both have to move air and not because anything was handed down. That is « analogous », and it is the exact opposite of « homologous » one entry earlier, which is the distinction the whole subject rests on. Then there is the noun, and the noun has gone somewhere else entirely. « An analogue » in everyday English is either a counterpart — a chemical analogue of a known drug — or it is simply the word for not digital: analogue clocks, analogue recordings, an analogue signal. Nothing in that second family has anything to do with common descent, and it is the family a reader meets first. The spelling keeps the two apart on the page, which is worth knowing: the adjective is « analogous », the noun « analogue », and « analog » is the noun as American English writes it.
a variação hereditáriaheritable variationNoun (f)C2
A variação hereditária existe antes de qualquer pressão.Heritable variation is there before any pressure is.
a frequência alélicathe allele frequencyNoun (f)C2
A frequência alélica mudou ao longo de muitas gerações.The allele frequency changed over many generations.
a seleção naturalnatural selectionNoun (f)C2
A seleção natural não escolhe, apenas filtra.Natural selection does not choose, it only sieves.
a pressão seletivathe selection pressureNoun (f)C2
A pressão seletiva mudou com o clima.The selection pressure changed with the climate.
a exaptaçãoexaptationNoun (f)C2
A pena aqueceu muito antes de servir para voar: é uma exaptação.The feather kept the animal warm long before it was any use for flying, and that is exaptation.
a deriva genéticagenetic driftNoun (f)C2
Numa população pequena, a deriva genética pesa mais do que a seleção.In a small population, genetic drift weighs more than selection does.
a especiaçãospeciationNoun (f)C2
A especiação demora muito mais do que uma vida humana.Speciation takes far longer than a human lifetime.
a árvore filogenéticathe phylogenetic treeNoun (f)C2
A árvore filogenética muda quando aparecem dados novos.The phylogenetic tree changes whenever new data turn up.
a homologiahomologyNoun (f)C2
A homologia entre o braço e a asa vê-se nos ossos.The homology between an arm and a wing can be seen in the bones.
a convergência evolutivaevolutionary convergenceNoun (f)C2
A convergência evolutiva explica formas parecidas em continentes diferentes.Evolutionary convergence explains similar shapes on different continents.
a seleção sexualsexual selectionNoun (f)C2
A cauda do pavão explica-se pela seleção sexual.The tail of the peacock is explained by sexual selection.
a seleção de parentescokin selectionNoun (f)C2
A seleção de parentesco explica a ajuda entre irmãos.Kin selection explains the help given between siblings.
a aptidão inclusivainclusive fitnessNoun (f)C2
A aptidão inclusiva conta também as crias dos irmãos.Inclusive fitness counts the young of siblings as well.
a corrida armamentistathe arms raceNoun (f)C2
A corrida armamentista entre a planta e o inseto não tem fim.The arms race between the plant and the insect has no end.
a coevoluçãocoevolutionNoun (f)C2
A coevolução ligou a flor ao seu polinizador.Coevolution has tied the flower to its pollinator.
a taxa de mutaçãothe mutation rateNoun (f)C2
A taxa de mutação é diferente em cada parte do genoma.The mutation rate differs in every part of the genome.
a mutação neutrathe neutral mutationNoun (f)C2
Uma mutação neutra não muda nada no organismo.A neutral mutation changes nothing in the organism.
a forma de transiçãothe transitional formNoun (f)C2
A forma de transição mostra as duas coisas ao mesmo tempo.A transitional form shows both things at once.
a extinção em massathe mass extinctionNoun (f)C2
A extinção em massa abriu espaço a grupos pequenos.The mass extinction made room for small groups.
a radiação adaptativathe adaptive radiationNoun (f)C2
A radiação adaptativa encheu a ilha de espécies novas.The adaptive radiation filled the island with new species.
a restrição do desenvolvimentothe developmental constraintNoun (f)C2
A restrição do desenvolvimento limita o que pode surgir.The developmental constraint limits what can arise.
a plasticidade fenotípicaphenotypic plasticityNoun (f)C2
A plasticidade fenotípica permite folhas diferentes à sombra.Phenotypic plasticity allows different leaves in the shade.
a herança epigenéticaepigenetic inheritanceNoun (f)C2
A herança epigenética não muda a sequência do gene.Epigenetic inheritance does not change the sequence of the gene.
a seleção artificialartificial selectionNoun (f)C2
A seleção artificial fez do lobo um cão.Artificial selection turned the wolf into the dog.
a linguagem finalistateleological languageNoun (f)C2
A linguagem finalista faz parecer que a espécie quer alguma coisa.Teleological language makes it sound as though the species wanted something.
