Question 1

What is a node on a phylogenetic tree?

Accepted Answer

A)  a species 
B)  an emerging twig 
C)  an evolutionary lineage 
D)  a branching point 
A)  a species 
B)  an emerging twig 
C)  an evolutionary lineage 
D)  a branching point

Question 2

Why is the traditional taxon class Reptilia considered paraphyletic?

Accepted Answer

A)  It includes an ancestor and all its descendants. 
B)  It includes an ancestor and some, but not all, of its descendants. 
C)  It does not include an ancestor along with some of its descendants. 
D)  It does not include an ancestor along with all its descendants. 
A)  It includes an ancestor and all its descendants. 
B)  It includes an ancestor and some, but not all, of its descendants. 
C)  It does not include an ancestor along with some of its descendants. 
D)  It does not include an ancestor along with all its descendants.

Question 3

Primitive feathers in certain dinosaurs evolved in anticipation of flight in their descendants, the birds.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

What helped biologists to predict that nonavian dinosaurs probably incubated their eggs and cared for their young?

Accepted Answer

A)  distribution of their morphology on a cladogram of archosaurs 
B)  distribution of their parental care behaviour on a cladogram of archosaurs 
C)  distribution of their physiology on a cladogram of archosaurs 
D)  distribution of their egg laying behaviour on a cladogram of archosaurs 
A)  distribution of their morphology on a cladogram of archosaurs 
B)  distribution of their parental care behaviour on a cladogram of archosaurs 
C)  distribution of their physiology on a cladogram of archosaurs 
D)  distribution of their egg laying behaviour on a cladogram of archosaurs

Question 5

What depicts the relative age of clades on a phylogenetic tree?

Accepted Answer

A)  horizontal spacing between clades 
B)  relative positions of the nodes from which they emerge 
C)  the position of the clades 
D)  the position of the branches 
A)  horizontal spacing between clades 
B)  relative positions of the nodes from which they emerge 
C)  the position of the clades 
D)  the position of the branches

Question 6

PhyloCode identifies and names organisms instead of pigeonholing them into traditional taxonomic categories.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Each character can exist in two forms, described as character states.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

What does the principle of parsimony state?

Accepted Answer

A)  The most complex plausible explanation of any phenomenon is the best. 
B)  The simplest plausible explanation of any phenomenon is the best. 
C)  The most practical approach to any phenomenon is the best. 
D)  The simplest practical approach to any phenomenon is the best. 
A)  The most complex plausible explanation of any phenomenon is the best. 
B)  The simplest plausible explanation of any phenomenon is the best. 
C)  The most practical approach to any phenomenon is the best. 
D)  The simplest practical approach to any phenomenon is the best.

Question 9

Which of these statements best describes a monophyletic taxon?

Accepted Answer

A)  includes species from different evolutionary lineages 
B)  includes an ancestral species and all its descendants 
C)  includes an ancestral species and only some of its descendants 
D)  includes only the ancestral species 
A)  includes species from different evolutionary lineages 
B)  includes an ancestral species and all its descendants 
C)  includes an ancestral species and only some of its descendants 
D)  includes only the ancestral species

Question 10

Nodes represent common ancestors that underwent cladogenesis and produced two descendant clades.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 11

Which of these statements best describes a polyphyletic taxon?

Accepted Answer

A)  includes species from different evolutionary lineages 
B)  includes an ancestral species and all its descendants 
C)  includes an ancestral species and only some of its descendants 
D)  includes only the ancestral species 
A)  includes species from different evolutionary lineages 
B)  includes an ancestral species and all its descendants 
C)  includes an ancestral species and only some of its descendants 
D)  includes only the ancestral species

Question 12

Match each of the following terms with its definition or description.
-includes an ancestor and some, but not all, of its descendants

Accepted Answer

A) monophyletic taxon 
B) polyphyletic taxon 
C) paraphyletic taxon 
D) homology 
E) convergent evolution
F)homoplasy
G)phylogeny
H)apomorphy
I)synapomorphy
J)outgroup 
A) monophyletic taxon 
B) polyphyletic taxon 
C) paraphyletic taxon 
D) homology 
E) convergent evolution
F)homoplasy
G)phylogeny
H)apomorphy
I)synapomorphy
J)outgroup

Question 13

What is convergent evolution?

Accepted Answer

A)  a tendency among organisms living under different conditions to develop different body forms 
B)  a tendency among organisms living under the same conditions to develop different body forms 
C)  a tendency among organisms living under the same conditions to develop similar body forms 
D)  a tendency among organisms living under different conditions to develop similar body forms 
A)  a tendency among organisms living under different conditions to develop different body forms 
B)  a tendency among organisms living under the same conditions to develop different body forms 
C)  a tendency among organisms living under the same conditions to develop similar body forms 
D)  a tendency among organisms living under different conditions to develop similar body forms

Question 14

Match each of the following terms with its definition or description.
-includes organisms from different clades, but not their ancestor

Accepted Answer

A) monophyletic taxon 
B) polyphyletic taxon 
C) paraphyletic taxon 
D) homology 
E) convergent evolution
F)homoplasy
G)phylogeny
H)apomorphy
I)synapomorphy
J)outgroup 
A) monophyletic taxon 
B) polyphyletic taxon 
C) paraphyletic taxon 
D) homology 
E) convergent evolution
F)homoplasy
G)phylogeny
H)apomorphy
I)synapomorphy
J)outgroup

Question 15

Which taxon includes an ancestor and all its descendants?

Accepted Answer

A)  monophyletic 
B)  paraphyletic 
C)  polyphyletic 
D)  both monophyletic and polyphyletic 
A)  monophyletic 
B)  paraphyletic 
C)  polyphyletic 
D)  both monophyletic and polyphyletic

Question 16

Which taxon includes the descendants only, and NOT the most common ancestor?

Accepted Answer

A)  monophyletic 
B)  paraphyletic 
C)  polyphyletic 
D)  both monophyletic and polyphyletic 
A)  monophyletic 
B)  paraphyletic 
C)  polyphyletic 
D)  both monophyletic and polyphyletic

Question 17

Match each of the following terms with its definition or description.
-a product of convergent evolution

Accepted Answer

A) monophyletic taxon 
B) polyphyletic taxon 
C) paraphyletic taxon 
D) homology 
E) convergent evolution
F)homoplasy
G)phylogeny
H)apomorphy
I)synapomorphy
J)outgroup 
A) monophyletic taxon 
B) polyphyletic taxon 
C) paraphyletic taxon 
D) homology 
E) convergent evolution
F)homoplasy
G)phylogeny
H)apomorphy
I)synapomorphy
J)outgroup

Question 18

Match each of the following terms with its definition or description.
-a derived character state

Accepted Answer

A) monophyletic taxon 
B) polyphyletic taxon 
C) paraphyletic taxon 
D) homology 
E) convergent evolution
F)homoplasy
G)phylogeny
H)apomorphy
I)synapomorphy
J)outgroup 
A) monophyletic taxon 
B) polyphyletic taxon 
C) paraphyletic taxon 
D) homology 
E) convergent evolution
F)homoplasy
G)phylogeny
H)apomorphy
I)synapomorphy
J)outgroup

Question 19

Which of these traits are ancestral character states found in mammals?

Accepted Answer

A)  vertebral column and four legs 
B)  hair and mammary glands 
C)  vertebral columns and reduced number of bones in lower jaw 
D)  hair and reduced number of bones lower jaw 
A)  vertebral column and four legs 
B)  hair and mammary glands 
C)  vertebral columns and reduced number of bones in lower jaw 
D)  hair and reduced number of bones lower jaw

Question 20

Match each of the following terms with its definition or description.
-includes an ancestor and all its descendants

Accepted Answer

A) monophyletic taxon 
B) polyphyletic taxon 
C) paraphyletic taxon 
D) homology 
E) convergent evolution
F)homoplasy
G)phylogeny
H)apomorphy
I)synapomorphy
J)outgroup 
A) monophyletic taxon 
B) polyphyletic taxon 
C) paraphyletic taxon 
D) homology 
E) convergent evolution
F)homoplasy
G)phylogeny
H)apomorphy
I)synapomorphy
J)outgroup

Exam 19: Systematics and Phylogenetics: Revealing the Tree of Life

What is a node on a phylogenetic tree?

Why is the traditional taxon class Reptilia considered paraphyletic?

Primitive feathers in certain dinosaurs evolved in anticipation of flight in their descendants, the birds.

What helped biologists to predict that nonavian dinosaurs probably incubated their eggs and cared for their young?

What depicts the relative age of clades on a phylogenetic tree?

PhyloCode identifies and names organisms instead of pigeonholing them into traditional taxonomic categories.

Each character can exist in two forms, described as character states.

What does the principle of parsimony state?

Which of these statements best describes a monophyletic taxon?

Nodes represent common ancestors that underwent cladogenesis and produced two descendant clades.

Which of these statements best describes a polyphyletic taxon?

Match each of the following terms with its definition or description. -includes an ancestor and some, but not all, of its descendants

What is convergent evolution?

Match each of the following terms with its definition or description. -includes organisms from different clades, but not their ancestor

Which taxon includes an ancestor and all its descendants?

Which taxon includes the descendants only, and NOT the most common ancestor?

Match each of the following terms with its definition or description. -a product of convergent evolution

Match each of the following terms with its definition or description. -a derived character state

Which of these traits are ancestral character states found in mammals?

Match each of the following terms with its definition or description. -includes an ancestor and all its descendants

Light and Life

The Cell: an Overview

Energy and Enzymes

Cell Membranes and Signaling

Cellular Respiration

Photosynthesis

Cell Cycles

Genetic Recombination

The Chromosomal Basis of Mendelian Inheritance

Genetic Linkage, Sex-Linkage, and Other Non-Mendelian Inheritance Mechanisms

DNA Structure, Replication, and Repair

Gene Structure Expression, and Mutation

Regulation of Gene Expression

Dna Technologies

Genomes

Evolution: the Development of the Theory

Microevolution: Changes Within Populations

Speciation and Macroevolution

Humans and Evolution

Defining Life and Its Origins

Viruses, Viroids, and Prions: Infectious Biological Particles

Bacteria and Archaea

Protists

Fungi

Plants

Animals

Conservation of Biodiversity

Population Ecology

Species Interactions and Community Ecology

Ecosystems

Animal Behaviour

Organization of the Plant Body

Transport in Plants

Reproduction and Development in Flowering Plants

Plant Nutrition

Plant Signals and Responses to the Environment

Introduction to Animal Organization and Physiology

Animal Nutrition

Gas Exchange: the Respiratory System

Internal Transport: the Circulatory System

Regulation of the Internal Environment: Water, Solutes, and Temperature

Control of Animal Processes: Endocrine Control

Animal Reproduction

Control of Animal Processes: Neural Control

Muscles, Skeletons, and Body Movements

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