Exam 22: Evolution and the Origins of Life

Based on the following information on the scientific classification of the flesh fly, determine which one of the following is the scientific name for the flesh fly. Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Diptera Family: Sarcophagidae Genus: Sarcophaga Species: bullata

RNA is believed to have evolved before DNA and proteins.

Darwin's proposal that organisms that are better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce is termed ________.

Periods of adaptive radiation are most likely to occur after a change in the environment causes new habitats to form.

When two species contain identical or nearly identical molecules such as proteins, this suggests

Movement of individuals into or out of the population, called gene flow, impacts evolution of populations because

Cytochrome c is a small protein that is found in present-day organisms. Comparison of the structure of cytochrome c from different organisms to infer evolutionary relationships would be part of the science involving

Humans are classified as ________ because of our larger bodies, bigger brains, and lack of tails in relation to other primates.

The theory that individuals with certain traits are more fit for their local environment and therefore are more likely to survive and reproduce is known as

The early embryos of vertebrates follow the same pathway of development; one structure that all vertebrate embryos have in common is the ________, which serves as a primitive support structure.

-The figure above shows the skeletal structure of the forelimbs of several vertebrates. Because these skeletal elements are similar in form and are believed to have evolved from a common ancestral structure, they are said to be

Large-scale evolutionary trends or changes that apply to whole groups of species are referred to as

When considering evolution, structures of present-day organisms that have the same function but did not develop from the same ancestral structure are said to be ________.

In an evolutionary context, ________ structures do not currently have a function in present-day organisms.

When conditions are right, many new species may develop in a relatively short period of time from a single ancestor. Such short bursts of evolutionary activity are called

The early atmosphere of Earth did not contain the gas ________; it is believed that life as we know it would not have evolved if this gas had been present.

Humans are classified as hominoids because

Approximately how long ago did the first distinctly human ancestor appear?

The evolution of eukaryotic cells began approximately ________ years ago.

The branch of science that deals with the naming and grouping of organisms is known as