Evolution Crossword

5. the process where one species gives rise to a new and distinctly different species
7. the collection of all the fossils discovered on Earth, providing a history of life on the planet
8. -(homologies) similarities in genetic molecular structures (DNA, RNA, and protein) among different species
9. the exchange of genetic material between chromosomes during crossing over in meiosis, resulting in new genetic combinations in offspring
13. a mechanism of evolution in which organisms better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and pass on genes to viable offspring
16. the change in allele frequency due to random chance; usually has a greater effect on a smaller population
17. - (homologies)structural similarities among different species because they descend from a common ancestor

1. the theory that species evolve in rapid, short bursts followed by stasis
2. a change in the nucleotide sequence of DNA
3. long periods of little or no evolutionary change; can be seen in the fossil record
4. the theory that all life forms descended from one "universal common ancestor"
6. - (homologies) anatomical similarities in embryonic development among different species
10. all of the different genes within a population
11. the theory that species evolve slowly and continuously over long periods of geological time
12. the study of the geographic distribution of plants and animals, which provides evidence of common ancestry
14. the transfer of genes from one population to another due to immigration, emigration, or interbreeding
15. an organism’s ability to survive and reproduce in its environment