Question 1

In the following figure, the region indicated by the arrow is the only modern-day location of the freshwater lungfish. Fossils of the ancestors of the lungfish, however, have been found all over the world (dots throughout the map). What does the distribution of these fossils indicate?

Accepted Answer

A)  When Pangaea separated to form smaller continents, the living ancestors of the lungfish were separated. When they died, some of them formed fossils in their new lands.
B)  The same species of lungfish evolved on all of Earth's major landmasses after continental drift had stopped.
C)  The ancestors of the lungfish existed on Pangaea. After they died, some were fossilized. Their fossils were separated by continental drift.
D)  Lungfish were much more successful in the climates of North America than they were in the climates of South America. C

Question 2

Which of the following statements regarding the evolutionary history of an organism is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

A)  Predictions of evolutionary relatedness based on fossil records often agree with predictions based on continental drift.
B)  Predictions of evolutionary relatedness based on fossil evidence often agree with those based on protein sequences.
C)  Predictions of evolutionary relatedness based on DNA usually contradict those based on anatomical evidence.
D)  Predictions based on DNA sequences provide the strongest evidence that two organisms are related. C

Question 3

Natural selection

Accepted Answer

A)  is the principle cause of extinctions.
B)  is the principle cause of evolutionary change.
C)  occurs only in gametes.
D)  cannot occur without genetic drift. B

Question 4

Whales have tiny thighbones embedded in the skin next to their pelvis. This is an example of

Accepted Answer

A)  fossilization.
B)  genetic drift.
C)  a vestigial structure.
D)  an analogous structure.

Question 5

Two fossils of the same species are found in both Africa and South America. What does this indicate?

Accepted Answer

A)  This organism evolved after the separation of Pangaea.
B)  This organism evolved before the separation of Pangaea.
C)  The fossil from South America evolved from the organism from Africa.
D)  The fossil from Africa evolved from the organism from South America.

Question 6

Which dog would have DNA most similar to the Borzoi?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which dog would have DNA most similar...

Question 7

One of the reasons scientists have had so much difficulty finding a cure for HIV/AIDS is that the HIV virus is quick to evolve resistance to the drugs used to treat it. What is the most likely mechanism for this type of evolution?

Accepted Answer

A)  Certain versions of the virus persist longer in the presence of a drug than others. Those viruses may survive drug treatment and pass their genes to their offspring.
B)  Every time an HIV drug is taken, it randomly kills off most but not all virus particles. Those that survive repopulate the body of their host.
C)  Although all copies of a particular strain of the HIV virus are identical, some are better at "hiding" in regions of the body that drugs cannot reach, and those viruses "teach" their offspring where to hide.
D)  Some versions of the HIV virus produce chemicals that break down the drugs before they can harm the virus.

Question 8

Tails are found

Accepted Answer

A)  in all embryos.
B)  only in adults and begin forming late in development.
C)  only in embryos of organisms that will have a tail as adults.
D)  in embryos of a wide variety of organisms, some of which have a tail as adults and others do not.

Question 9

The following diagram shows the bone structure of a whale flipper and a bat wing. Which of the following suggests that these two structures are homologous rather than analogous?

Accepted Answer

A)  Both the flipper and the wing contain five fingerlike bone projections.
B)  The flipper is formed from the entire front appendage of the whale, but the wing is only formed from the hand part of the front appendage of the bat.
C)  The bones that form the five fingerlike projections in the flipper have much thicker bones than the bones that form these projections in the bat.
D)  The flipper of the whale contains more bones than the wing of the bat.

Question 10

Match each example to the type of evidence supporting evolution.
-The freshwater lungfish Neoceratodus fosteri is found on every continent except Antarctica.

Accepted Answer

A)  comparative embryology
B)  fossil evidence
C)  comparative anatomy
D)  comparative DNA
E)  biogeographic evidence

Question 11

Dogs have vestigial digits called dewclaws. Describe the most likely origin of these structures.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Dogs have vestigial digits called dewclaws. Describe...

Question 12

Continental drift is the ________ of Earth's landmasses through geologic time.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Continental drift is the ________ of Earth's...

Question 13

Which of the following embryo will look similar to human embryos for the longest?

Accepted Answer

A)  bird
B)  cat
C)  fish
D)  reptile

Question 14

Some whales have teeth as embryos but do not as adults. What is the most likely explanation of this phenomenon?

Accepted Answer

A)  Whales are in the process of evolving teeth.
B)  Whale teeth appear as the result of a frequently occurring mutation.
C)  Whales evolved from organisms that have teeth.
D)  The allele for teeth is unusually common in some whale populations.

Question 15

The result of ________ over evolutionary time spans is that alleles that allow organisms to survive and reproduce at a higher rate than other individuals become more common in the population.

Accepted Answer

A)  natural selection
B)  artificial selection
C)  homology
D)  gene flow

Question 16

Human and fish embryos share a number of features. Why is this?

Accepted Answer

A)  Humans and fish share a common ancestor.
B)  Embryos of all organisms, plant and animal, look alike.
C)  Mutations in human and fish embryos have caused them to look alike.
D)  Humans and fish have exactly the same genes, but as they develop, different genes are turned on in fish than in humans.

Question 17

Match each example to the type of evidence supporting evolution.
-The human and chimpanzee insulin genes are 98 percent similar.

Accepted Answer

A)  comparative embryology
B)  fossil evidence
C)  comparative anatomy
D)  comparative DNA
E)  biogeographic evidence

Question 18

Fossils found in deeper layers are ________ than fossils found in more shallow layers.

Accepted Answer

A)  older
B)  younger
C)  more informative
D)  less informative

Question 19

Neanderthal fossils

Accepted Answer

A)  are likely to be found in layers above human fossils.
B)  are likely to be found in layers below human fossils.
C)  provide evidence of artificial selection during ancient times.
D)  disprove evolutionary theory because they are not ancestors of humans.

Question 20

A friend states that, "evolution is just a theory because it does not have supporting evidence." Evaluate this statement, including a list of the types of evidence used in drawing your conclusion.

Accepted Answer

The answer of A friend states that, "evolution is just...

Exam 10: Evidence for Evolution

In the following figure, the region indicated by the arrow is the only modern-day location of the freshwater lungfish. Fossils of the ancestors of the lungfish, however, have been found all over the world (dots throughout the map) . What does the distribution of these fossils indicate?