Question 1

Membership in a clade cannot be established by shared ancestral traits alone.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

What is considered a fundamental evolutionary divergence?

Accepted Answer

A)  Distinction between spices 
B)  Distinction between Plantae and Animalia 
C)  Distinction between genes 
D)  Distinction between prokaryotes and eukaryotes 
E)  Similarity between prokaryotes and eukaryotes 
A)  Distinction between spices 
B)  Distinction between Plantae and Animalia 
C)  Distinction between genes 
D)  Distinction between prokaryotes and eukaryotes 
E)  Similarity between prokaryotes and eukaryotes

Question 3

The scientific study of the diversity of organisms and the evolutionary relationships between them is referred to as:

Accepted Answer

A)  ecology. 
B)  taxonomy. 
C)  systematics. 
D)  evolutionary biology. 
E)  biological classification. 
A)  ecology. 
B)  taxonomy. 
C)  systematics. 
D)  evolutionary biology. 
E)  biological classification.

Question 4

Which type of classification was proposed by R. H. Whittaker in 1969?

Accepted Answer

A)  Four-kingdom classification 
B)  Five-kingdom classification 
C)  Kingdom classification 
D)  Three-kingdom classification 
E)  Two-kingdom classification 
A)  Four-kingdom classification 
B)  Five-kingdom classification 
C)  Kingdom classification 
D)  Three-kingdom classification 
E)  Two-kingdom classification

Question 5

_________ is tall annual grass with separate female and male flowers.

Accepted Answer

A)  Zea 
B)  Poaceae 
C)  Monocotyledones 
D)  Anthophyta 
E)  Commelinales 
A)  Zea 
B)  Poaceae 
C)  Monocotyledones 
D)  Anthophyta 
E)  Commelinales

Question 6

Taxonomy is the science of:

Accepted Answer

A)  conserving biodiversity. 
B)  making new biological species. 
C)  naming, describing, and classifying organisms. 
D)  comparing macromolecules to assess evolutionary relationships. 
E)  generating cladograms that represent evolutionary relationships between organisms. 
A)  conserving biodiversity. 
B)  making new biological species. 
C)  naming, describing, and classifying organisms. 
D)  comparing macromolecules to assess evolutionary relationships. 
E)  generating cladograms that represent evolutionary relationships between organisms.

Question 7

Scientists may compare similarities between nucleotide sequences of organisms to determine their evolutionary history. This is known as:

Accepted Answer

A)  cladistics. 
B)  phenetics. 
C)  synapomorphy. 
D)  molecular systematics. 
E)  monophyletic grouping. 
A)  cladistics. 
B)  phenetics. 
C)  synapomorphy. 
D)  molecular systematics. 
E)  monophyletic grouping.

Question 8

Which example illustrates how "maximum likelihood" is used by systematists?

Accepted Answer

A)  Assigning humans and chimpanzees to a less inclusive taxon 
B)  Using the simplest explanation necessary to interpret the data 
C)  Establishing the membership in a clade using the phenetic approach 
D)  Distinguishing shared ancestral characteristics and shared derived characters 
E)  Using probability to determine that the nucleotide sequences in DNA and RNA change at a constant rate over time 
A)  Assigning humans and chimpanzees to a less inclusive taxon 
B)  Using the simplest explanation necessary to interpret the data 
C)  Establishing the membership in a clade using the phenetic approach 
D)  Distinguishing shared ancestral characteristics and shared derived characters 
E)  Using probability to determine that the nucleotide sequences in DNA and RNA change at a constant rate over time

Question 9

___________ is the scientific study of the diversity of organisms and their evolutionary relationships.

Accepted Answer

A)  Evolution 
B)  Systematics 
C)  Taxonomy 
D)  Dogmatism 
E)  Haphazardism 
A)  Evolution 
B)  Systematics 
C)  Taxonomy 
D)  Dogmatism 
E)  Haphazardism

Question 10

HIV is a ___________.

Accepted Answer

A)  lentivirus 
B)  retrovirous 
C)  archeal virus 
D)  DNA virus 
E)  viral genome 
A)  lentivirus 
B)  retrovirous 
C)  archeal virus 
D)  DNA virus 
E)  viral genome

Question 11

The evidence suggests that some ___________ years ago, a population of early fishlike vertebrates evolved.

Accepted Answer

A)  3 to 4 million years ago 
B)  30 to 40 million years ago 
C)  60 to 80 million years ago 
D)  150 to 170 million years ago 
E)  380 to 400 million years ago 
A)  3 to 4 million years ago 
B)  30 to 40 million years ago 
C)  60 to 80 million years ago 
D)  150 to 170 million years ago 
E)  380 to 400 million years ago

Question 12

Which of the following taxa would be the most inclusive?

Accepted Answer

A)  Genus 
B)  Family 
C)  Species 
D)  Order 
E)  Class 
A)  Genus 
B)  Family 
C)  Species 
D)  Order 
E)  Class

Question 13

Describe the relationship of the genus and species taxa. Explain why this system helps scientists in their research.

Accepted Answer

Species are nested in the broader taxon

Question 14

___________ are terrestrial, multicellular, photosynthetic organisms.

Accepted Answer

A)  Plantae 
B)  Anthophyta 
C)  Poaceae 
D)  Zea 
E)  Eukarya 
A)  Plantae 
B)  Anthophyta 
C)  Poaceae 
D)  Zea 
E)  Eukarya

Question 15

Due to our increasing ability to analyze DNA sequences and other molecular data of organisms, scientists are more often classifying organisms by their:

Accepted Answer

A)  structural differences. 
B)  structural similarities. 
C)  evolutionary history. 
D)  selective adaptations. 
E)  behavioral similarities. 
A)  structural differences. 
B)  structural similarities. 
C)  evolutionary history. 
D)  selective adaptations. 
E)  behavioral similarities.

Question 16

A taxon that diverges earlier than the other taxa being considered in cladistic analysis is a(n):

Accepted Answer

A)  clade. 
B)  outgroup. 
C)  shared taxon. 
D)  derived taxon. 
E)  homologous taxon. 
A)  clade. 
B)  outgroup. 
C)  shared taxon. 
D)  derived taxon. 
E)  homologous taxon.

Question 17

An example of homologous structures is the wing of a bat and the:

Accepted Answer

A)  arm of a human. 
B)  wing of a beetle. 
C)  tail of a whale. 
D)  leg of a chimpanzee. 
E)  dorsal fin of a shark. 
A)  arm of a human. 
B)  wing of a beetle. 
C)  tail of a whale. 
D)  leg of a chimpanzee. 
E)  dorsal fin of a shark.

Question 18

A new species of beetle is discovered. Explain how you would classify this beetle (for example, what steps would you take to classify the new species).

Accepted Answer

Cladists would classify a new species of

Question 19

Sea snakes, which are reptiles, are similar in body form to eels, which are fish. Sea snakes and eels therefore demonstrate:

Accepted Answer

A)  role reversal. 
B)  ancestral traits 
C)  homologous traits. 
D)  divergent evolution. 
E)  convergent evolution. 
A)  role reversal. 
B)  ancestral traits 
C)  homologous traits. 
D)  divergent evolution. 
E)  convergent evolution.

Question 20

Linnaeus simplified scientific classification by developing:

Accepted Answer

A)  clades. 
B)  kingdoms. 
C)  supergroups. 
D)  phylogenetic trees. 
E)  binomial system of nomenclature. 
A)  clades. 
B)  kingdoms. 
C)  supergroups. 
D)  phylogenetic trees. 
E)  binomial system of nomenclature.

Exam 23: Understanding Diversity: Systematics

Membership in a clade cannot be established by shared ancestral traits alone.

What is considered a fundamental evolutionary divergence?

The scientific study of the diversity of organisms and the evolutionary relationships between them is referred to as:

Which type of classification was proposed by R. H. Whittaker in 1969?

_________ is tall annual grass with separate female and male flowers.

Taxonomy is the science of:

Scientists may compare similarities between nucleotide sequences of organisms to determine their evolutionary history. This is known as:

Which example illustrates how "maximum likelihood" is used by systematists?

___________ is the scientific study of the diversity of organisms and their evolutionary relationships.

HIV is a ___________.

The evidence suggests that some ___________ years ago, a population of early fishlike vertebrates evolved.

Which of the following taxa would be the most inclusive?

Describe the relationship of the genus and species taxa. Explain why this system helps scientists in their research.

___________ are terrestrial, multicellular, photosynthetic organisms.

Due to our increasing ability to analyze DNA sequences and other molecular data of organisms, scientists are more often classifying organisms by their:

A taxon that diverges earlier than the other taxa being considered in cladistic analysis is a(n):

An example of homologous structures is the wing of a bat and the:

A new species of beetle is discovered. Explain how you would classify this beetle (for example, what steps would you take to classify the new species).

Sea snakes, which are reptiles, are similar in body form to eels, which are fish. Sea snakes and eels therefore demonstrate:

Linnaeus simplified scientific classification by developing:

A View of Life

Atoms and Molecules: the Chemical Basis of Life

The Chemistry of Life: Organic Compounds

Organization of the Cell

Biological Membranes

Cell Communication

Energy and Metabolism

How Cells Make Atp: Energy-Releasing Pathways

Photosynthesis: Capturing Light Energy

Chromosomes, Mitosis, and Meiosis

The Basic Principles of Heredity

DNA: The Carrier of Genetic Information

Gene Expression

Gene Regulation

DNA Technology and Genomics

Human Genetics and the Human Genome

Developmental Genetics

Introduction to Darwinian Evolution

Evolutionary Change in Populations

Speciation and Macroevolution

The Origin and Evolutionary History of Life

The Evolution of Primates

Viruses and Subviral Agents

Bacteria and Archaea

Protists

Seedless Plants

Seed Plants

The Fungi

An Introduction to Animal Diversity

Sponges, Cnidarians, Ctenophores, and Protostomes

The Deuterostomes

Plant Structure, Growth, and Development

Leaf Structure and Function

Stem Structure and Transport

Roots and Mineral Nutrition

Reproduction in Flowering Plants

Plant Developmental Responses to External and Internal Signals

Animal Structure and Function: an Introduction

Protection, Support, and Movement

Neural Signaling

Neural Regulation

Sensory Systems

Internal Transport

The Immune System: Internal Defense

Gas Exchange

Processing Food and Nutrition

Osmoregulation and Disposal of Metabolic Wastes

Endocrine Regulation

Reproduction

Animal Development

Animal Behavior

Introduction to Ecology: Population Ecology

Community Ecology

Ecosystems and the Biosphere

Ecology and the Geography of Life

Biological Diversity and Conservation Biology

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