Question 1

Which of the following statements about Archaeopteryx is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

A) It is the direct ancestor of modern birds. 
B) It shows a combination of reptilian and birdlike features. 
C) It provides clear evidence of the close relationship between birds and dinosaurs. 
D) It had a long, bony, reptilian tail. 
E) It had asymmetrical feathers like a modern bird. 
A) It is the direct ancestor of modern birds. 
B) It shows a combination of reptilian and birdlike features. 
C) It provides clear evidence of the close relationship between birds and dinosaurs. 
D) It had a long, bony, reptilian tail. 
E) It had asymmetrical feathers like a modern bird.

Question 2

Which of the following statements is always TRUE about sister taxa on a phylogenetic tree?

Accepted Answer

A) Sister taxa are always the result of speciation events that result in two new genera. 
B) Sister taxa always share a most recent common ancestor that is not shared with any other taxon on the phylogeny. 
C) Sister taxa are always the result of the most recent divergence event represented on a phylogeny. 
D) Sister taxa are always defined by shared ancestral characteristics that have been modified in all other taxa in the phylogeny. 
A) Sister taxa are always the result of speciation events that result in two new genera. 
B) Sister taxa always share a most recent common ancestor that is not shared with any other taxon on the phylogeny. 
C) Sister taxa are always the result of the most recent divergence event represented on a phylogeny. 
D) Sister taxa are always defined by shared ancestral characteristics that have been modified in all other taxa in the phylogeny.

Question 3

The LARGEST mass extinction occurred at the end of which period?

Accepted Answer

A) Ordovician 
B) Devonian 
C) Permian 
D) Triassic 
E) Cretaceous 
A) Ordovician 
B) Devonian 
C) Permian 
D) Triassic 
E) Cretaceous

Question 4

Imagine that a scientist discovers a new, flying species of mammal that resembles a winged rabbit. What can the scientist say about this organism?

Accepted Answer

A) Without any further information, the scientist can say that bat wings and the wings of this new species are homologous. 
B) If molecular sequence data show that bats and this new species share a common ancestor not shared by other mammals, the wings of these two species would be considered homologous. 
C) If molecular sequence data show that bats and this new species do not share a common ancestor not shared by other mammals, the wings of bats and this new species would be considered homologous. 
D) If molecular sequence data show that bats and this new species share a common ancestor not shared by other mammals, the wings of these two species would be considered analogous. 
E) No data could support or disprove the hypothesis that the wings of bats and the new species are homologous. 
A) Without any further information, the scientist can say that bat wings and the wings of this new species are homologous. 
B) If molecular sequence data show that bats and this new species share a common ancestor not shared by other mammals, the wings of these two species would be considered homologous. 
C) If molecular sequence data show that bats and this new species do not share a common ancestor not shared by other mammals, the wings of bats and this new species would be considered homologous. 
D) If molecular sequence data show that bats and this new species share a common ancestor not shared by other mammals, the wings of these two species would be considered analogous. 
E) No data could support or disprove the hypothesis that the wings of bats and the new species are homologous.

Question 5

Why don't researchers use 14C to date fossils in rocks from the Cambrian Period?

Accepted Answer

A) Cambrian fossils do not contain carbon. 
B) 14C only formed in more recent geologic periods. 
C) 14C cannot provide accurate dates. 
D) The amount of 14C remaining in Cambrian specimens is far too small to be measured accurately. 
A) Cambrian fossils do not contain carbon. 
B) 14C only formed in more recent geologic periods. 
C) 14C cannot provide accurate dates. 
D) The amount of 14C remaining in Cambrian specimens is far too small to be measured accurately.

Question 6

Which of the following represents the MOST informative evolutionary history of a taxon?

Accepted Answer

A) monophyletic groups 
B) paraphyletic groups 
C) polyphyletic groups 
D) derived groups 
E) All of these choices are correct. 
A) monophyletic groups 
B) paraphyletic groups 
C) polyphyletic groups 
D) derived groups 
E) All of these choices are correct.

Question 7

The phylogeny below shows:   Photo sources: (left to right) Zoonar/K. Jorgensen/age fotostock; S Sailer/A Sailer/age fotostock; J & C Sohns/age fotostock; Michael Dick/ Animals Animals-Earth Scenes; FLPA/Jurgen & Christi/age fotostock; Yellow Dog Productions/Getty Images.

Accepted Answer

A) a hypothesis about the evolutionary relationships of the apes. 
B) proof of the evolutionary relationships between humans and chimps. 
C) chimps gave rise to humans. 
A) a hypothesis about the evolutionary relationships of the apes. 
B) proof of the evolutionary relationships between humans and chimps. 
C) chimps gave rise to humans.

Question 8

Examine Figure 23.2 below.

If we define the taxon Actinopterygii to include the ray-finned fish, coelacanths, lungfish, tetrapods, and their most recent common ancestor, it would be a _____ group.

Accepted Answer

A) monophyletic 
B) paraphyletic 
C) polyphyletic 
A) monophyletic 
B) paraphyletic 
C) polyphyletic

Question 9

Traits that are similar in two species as a result of common ancestry are referred to as:

Accepted Answer

A) homologous. 
B) analogous. 
C) convergent. 
D) derived. 
E) ancestral. 
A) homologous. 
B) analogous. 
C) convergent. 
D) derived. 
E) ancestral.

Question 10

Based on the diagram below, you predict that the earliest fossil gorilla (which may not resemble modern-day gorillas) would be _____ than the earliest fossil _____.   Photo sources: (left to right) Zoonar/K. Jorgensen/age fotostock; S Sailer/A Sailer/age fotostock; J & C Sohns/age fotostock; Michael Dick/ Animals Animals-Earth Scenes; FLPA/Jurgen & Christi/age fotostock; Yellow Dog Productions/Getty Images.

Accepted Answer

A) older; bonobo 
B) younger; bonobo 
C) younger; chimp 
D) older; orangutan 
E) None of the answer options is correct. 
A) older; bonobo 
B) younger; bonobo 
C) younger; chimp 
D) older; orangutan 
E) None of the answer options is correct.

Question 11

A phylogenetic tree is a:

Accepted Answer

A) hypothesis about the evolutionary history of species. 
B) guess about the evolutionary history of species. 
C) factual representation of the evolutionary history of species. 
D) detailed timeline of a species' evolutionary history. 
E) None of the answer options is correct. 
A) hypothesis about the evolutionary history of species. 
B) guess about the evolutionary history of species. 
C) factual representation of the evolutionary history of species. 
D) detailed timeline of a species' evolutionary history. 
E) None of the answer options is correct.

Question 12

An incomplete fossil record is evidence that the theory of evolution is false.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

The fossil record is often used to infer phylogenetic history. Which of the statements accurately supports this assumption?

Accepted Answer

A) There are fossil representatives of every organism in the tree of life. 
B) There is a one-to-one correlation between each branch of the phylogenetic tree and fossil specimens. 
C) Events that occur early in the fossil record are represented by branching events nearer to the root of a phylogenetic tree. 
D) Events that occur early in the fossil record are represented by branching events nearer to the tips of a phylogenetic tree. 
E) Fossil record events are too old to be represented on phylogenetic trees, which reconstruct the more recent past. 
A) There are fossil representatives of every organism in the tree of life. 
B) There is a one-to-one correlation between each branch of the phylogenetic tree and fossil specimens. 
C) Events that occur early in the fossil record are represented by branching events nearer to the root of a phylogenetic tree. 
D) Events that occur early in the fossil record are represented by branching events nearer to the tips of a phylogenetic tree. 
E) Fossil record events are too old to be represented on phylogenetic trees, which reconstruct the more recent past.

Question 14

Organisms in the same family will all be from the same genus.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

Phylogenetic trees represent hypotheses about the evolutionary relationships among groups of organisms.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

Only homologous characters are useful in constructing phylogenetic trees.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 17

The concordance of the two great patterns in the history of life-the branching order of the tree of life and the sequence of forms in the fossil record-is powerful evidence in support of the theory of evolution. Which of the following imaginary examples of evidence would DISPROVE the theory of evolution?
A)A fossil of a mammal that is older than fossils of the first reptiles.
B)A fossil of a DNA molecule that is older than a fossil of the first fish.
C)Lack of evidence of a transitional form between fish and tetrapods.
D)A fossil of a dinosaur footprint in 70-million-year-old rock.

Accepted Answer

Use the fossil record to identify ancest

Question 18

The geological timescale was first developed using the fossil record, but this provided only a system of relative dating; absolute dates weren't established until the discovery of:

Accepted Answer

A) radioactive decay. 
B) isotopes. 
C) sedimentary rocks. 
D) fossil series. 
A) radioactive decay. 
B) isotopes. 
C) sedimentary rocks. 
D) fossil series.

Question 19

Two taxa that are more closely related to each other than to any other taxon are called _____ groups.

Accepted Answer

A) sister 
B) paraphyletic 
C) homologous 
D) polyphyletic 
E) analogous 
A) sister 
B) paraphyletic 
C) homologous 
D) polyphyletic 
E) analogous

Question 20

Which molecular detail can be used to construct phylogenetic histories?

Accepted Answer

A) individual nucleotides 
B) amino acids 
C) RNA 
D) All of these choices are correct. 
A) individual nucleotides 
B) amino acids 
C) RNA 
D) All of these choices are correct.

Exam 23: Evolutionary Patterns: Phylogeny and Fossils

Which of the following statements about Archaeopteryx is FALSE?

Which of the following statements is always TRUE about sister taxa on a phylogenetic tree?

The LARGEST mass extinction occurred at the end of which period?

Imagine that a scientist discovers a new, flying species of mammal that resembles a winged rabbit. What can the scientist say about this organism?

Why don't researchers use 14C to date fossils in rocks from the Cambrian Period?

Which of the following represents the MOST informative evolutionary history of a taxon?

The phylogeny below shows: Photo sources: (left to right) Zoonar/K. Jorgensen/age fotostock; S Sailer/A Sailer/age fotostock; J & C Sohns/age fotostock; Michael Dick/ Animals Animals-Earth Scenes; FLPA/Jurgen & Christi/age fotostock; Yellow Dog Productions/Getty Images.

Examine Figure 23.2 below. If we define the taxon Actinopterygii to include the ray-finned fish, coelacanths, lungfish, tetrapods, and their most recent common ancestor, it would be a _____ group.

Traits that are similar in two species as a result of common ancestry are referred to as:

A phylogenetic tree is a:

An incomplete fossil record is evidence that the theory of evolution is false.

The fossil record is often used to infer phylogenetic history. Which of the statements accurately supports this assumption?

Organisms in the same family will all be from the same genus.

Phylogenetic trees represent hypotheses about the evolutionary relationships among groups of organisms.

Only homologous characters are useful in constructing phylogenetic trees.

The geological timescale was first developed using the fossil record, but this provided only a system of relative dating; absolute dates weren't established until the discovery of:

Two taxa that are more closely related to each other than to any other taxon are called _____ groups.

Which molecular detail can be used to construct phylogenetic histories?

Life: Chemical, Cellular, and Evolutionary Foundations

The Molecules of Life

Nucleic Acids and Transcription

Translation and Protein Structure

Organizing Principles: Lipids, Membranes, and Cell Compartments

Making Life Work: Capturing and Using Energy

Cellular Respiration: Harvesting Energy From Carbohydrates and Other Fuel Molecules

Photosynthesis: Using Sunlight to Build Carbohydrates

Cell Signaling

Cell and Tissue Architecture: Cytoskeleton, Cell Junctions, and Extracellular Matrix

Cell Division: Variations, Regulation, and Cancer

Dna Replication and Manipulation

Genomes

Mutation and Dna Repair

Genetic Variation

Mendelian Inheritance

Inheritance of Sex Chromosomes, Linked Genes, and Organelles

The Genetic and Environmental Basis of Complex Traits

Genetic and Epigenetic Regulation

Genes and Development

Evolution: How Genotypes and Phenotypes Change Over Time

Species and Speciation

Human Origins and Evolution

Cycling Carbon

Bacteria and Archaea

Eukaryotic Cells: Origins and Diversity

Being Multicellular

Plant Structure and Function: Moving Photosynthesis Onto Land

Plant Reproduction: Finding Mates and Dispersing Young

Plant Growth and Development

Plant Defense: Keeping the World Green

Plant Diversity

Fungi: Structure, Function, and Diversity

Animal Nervous Systems

Animal Sensory Systems and Brain Function

Animal Movement: Muscles and Skeletons

Animal Endocrine Systems

Animal Cardiovascular and Respiratory Systems

Animal Metabolism, Nutrition, and Digestion

Animal Renal Systems: Water and Waste

Animal Reproduction and Development

Animal Immune Systems

Animal Diversity

Animal Behavior

Population Ecology

Species Interactions, Communities, and Ecosystems

Biomes and Global Ecology

The Anthropocene: Humans As a Planetary Force

Filters

Why don't researchers use ¹⁴C to date fossils in rocks from the Cambrian Period?