Ch. 23 Evolutionary Patterns: Phylogeny & Fossils

Front 1

Two taxa that are more closely related to each other than to any other taxon are called:

Back 1

sister groups.

Front 2

Traits that are shared by some, but not all, members of a group are known as:

homologies.

analogies.

synapomorphies.

alternative character states.

cladistics.

Back 2

synapomorphies.

Front 3

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

true

false

Back 3

false

Front 4

The fact that two independent methodologies for investigating the history of life on Earth (phylogenies and the fossil record) agree is powerful evidence of evolution.

true

false

Back 4

true

Front 5

The ___ level of the taxonomic hierarchy is more inclusive than a family, but less inclusive than a class.

genus

order

species

phylum

kingdom

Back 5

order

Front 6

In order to be useful for constructing a phylogeny, a character must:

have a genetic basis.

vary within a species.

have only one state.

show the same state across several species.

All of the above.

Back 6

have a genetic basis.

Front 7

Which of the following is most likely to fossilize?

a jellyfish that died and sunk to the bottom of the ocean

a crayfish that died in its muddy burrow by a creek

a snail that died on a rock

a lizard that died in the leaf litter on the forest floor

a leaf that fell from a tree and landed on the surface of a pond

Back 7

a crayfish that died in its muddy burrow by a creek

Front 8

Data from phylogenies based on living organisms and data from the fossil record are in agreement when the tree of life is examined as a whole, but are often contradictory when individual branches are examined.

True or False

Back 8

false (The history of life must be reconstructed from evolution’s two great patterns: the nested similarity observed in the forms and macromolecular sequences of living organisms, and the direct historical archive of the fossil record.)

Front 9

Which of the following statements is true regarding a phylogenetic tree?

Phylogenetic trees could be considered physical representations of hypotheses―those that seek to establish the evolutionary relationships between different organisms.

Phylogenetic trees are constructed based solely on the morphological characteristics of species; sequence similarities among different organisms are only evaluated by taxonomists.

Within a phylogenetic tree, the order of groups located at the tree "tips"―not the nodes within a tree―determines sister group relationships.

Given the sheer number of prokaryotic and eukaryotic species on Earth, it is impossible to create a phylogenetic tree encompassing all of these organisms.

Phylogenetic trees only depict the evolutionary relationships between different classes; relationships among different species within the same genus are not illustrated in such trees.

Back 9

Phylogenetic trees could be considered physical representations of hypotheses―those that seek to establish the evolutionary relationships between different organisms.

Front 10

When several possible phylogenetic trees can be produced from a data set, the most parsimonious tree:

is the one that shows the largest number of analogous characteristics.

is the one that shows the smallest number of evolutionary changes.

is the one that shows the largest number of nodes.

is the one that shows the smallest number of synapomorphies.

is the one that shows the smallest number of branches.

Back 10

is the one that shows the smallest number of evolutionary changes.

Front 11

In a particular layer of rock, a number fossilized ferns are found, but no fossilized mosses are found. What conclusions can be drawn from this finding?

Mosses and ferns did not coexist in the same environment.

There are fewer species of moss than ferns.

The soft tissues of mosses may not have fossilized as readily as the lignified tissues of ferns, so it is difficult to draw any conclusions from this limited sample.

Ferns decompose more rapidly than mosses and thus are more likely to fossilize.

Ferns evolved earlier than mosses, so it is not surprising to find a layer with only ferns and no mosses.

Back 11

The soft tissues of mosses may not have fossilized as readily as the lignified tissues of ferns, so it is difficult to draw any conclusions from this limited sample.

Front 12

Which of the following is a benefit of reconstructing evolutionary history from living organisms?

A range of features can be used to generate phylogenetic hypotheses.

The time dimension of speciation events can be calculated with greater certainty.

Evolutionary links running through extinct species can be inferred easily.

The environmental context is more easily observable.

None of the answer options is correct.

Back 12

A range of features can be used to generate phylogenetic hypotheses.

Front 13

The most recent common ancestor of a bird and a turtle is also the most recent common ancestor of a bird and which other group?

snake

human

crocodile

frog

None of the above.

Back 13

snake

Front 14

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

homologous.

analogous.

ancestral.

convergent.

derived.

Back 14

homologous.

Front 15

Which of the following statements about Archaeopteryx is FALSE?

It shows a combination of reptilian and bird-like features.

It is the ancestor of modern birds.

It provided clear evidence of the close relationship between birds and dinosaurs.

It had a long, bony, reptilian tail.

It had asymmetrical feathers like a modern bird.

Back 15

It is the ancestor of modern birds.

Front 16

What information is provided by the fossil record that cannot be provided by examining living organisms?

a record of extinct species

All of the answer options are correct.

absolute dates for when different taxa diverged

records of environmental conditions

timing of mass extinctions

Back 16

All of the answer options are correct.

Front 17

The nodes on a phylogenetic tree represent:

descendant lineages.

sister groups.

common ancestors.

present-day groups.

homologies.

Back 17

common ancestors.

Front 18

Which of the following would be considered characters?

lungs

wings

petals

claws

All of the answer options are correct.

Back 18

All of the answer options are correct.

Front 19

The Permian mass extinction is hypothesized to have been caused by volcanic eruptions resulting in:

lack of oxygen.

global warming, lack of oxygen, and ocean acidification.

global warming.

ocean acidification.

global warming and lack of oxygen.

Back 19

global warming, lack of oxygen, and ocean acidification.

Front 20

According to the fossil record, when did the earliest animals appear on Earth?

3 billion years ago

600 million years ago

3500 million years ago

520 million years ago

55 million years ago

Back 20

600 million years ago

Front 21

If two organisms are in the same class, then which of the following must also be true?

They are in the same phylum.

They are in the same family.

They are in the same genus.

They are in the same order.

None of the above.

Back 21

They are in the same phylum.

Front 22

Which of the following homologies would be most helpful in identifying sister groups?

homologies that occur in single species, that is, homologies that occur in monophyletic groups

homologies that occur in all descendants of a common ancestor

analogies found in organisms belonging to different groups, and which do not share a common ancestor

homologies that are only found in some, but not all, the members of a single group

Back 22

homologies that are only found in some, but not all, the members of a single group

Front 23

Trace fossils include all of the following except:

the impression of a bird feather.

the trail left by a crawling worm.

a dinosaur footprint.

the mineralized skull of an ancient mammal.

the burrow of an extinct crab.

Back 23

the mineralized skull of an ancient mammal.

Front 24

Phylogenetic methods based on DNA sequences and data from the fossil record both show that the evolutionary link between birds and crocodiles runs through dinosaurs.

True or False

Back 24

false

Front 25

Only homologous characters are useful in constructing phylogenetic trees.

True or False

Back 25

true

Front 26

We expect the fossil record to be incomplete for all of the following reasons EXCEPT:

All biomolecules, including lipids and pigment molecules, decay immediately after death.

Fossilization requires burial in sediment.

Under normal conditions, organisms are broken down by biological and physical processes.

Sediments accumulate irregularly.

Organisms with hard parts tend to fossilize more readily than soft-bodied organisms.

Back 26

All biomolecules, including lipids and pigment molecules, decay immediately after death.

Front 27

Why is agreement between the fossil record and phylogenies constructed from living organisms considered to be strong evidence of evolution?

It is unlikely that two independent methods of investigation would result in the same pattern by chance alone.

All living organisms will eventually become fossils, so evidence of their evolution will be recorded in the fossil record.

Phylogenetic methods based on DNA sequences can suggest that two species are closely related, but only fossils can show direct evidence of an evolutionary relationship between species.

Evolutionary processes cannot be studied directly in the laboratory alone, so it is necessary to compare living and extinct species to see evidence of evolutionary change.

All of the answer options are correct.

Back 27

It is unlikely that two independent methods of investigation would result in the same pattern by chance alone.

Front 28

Consider a generalized tree of life, with three large branches representing Archaea, Bacteria, and Eukarya. These three branches would represent different:

domains.

phyla.

genera.

species.

kingdoms.

Back 28

domains [Biologists today commonly refer to the three largest limbs of the entire tree of life as domains (the Eukarya, or eukaryotes; Bacteria; and Archaea, or archaeons)]

Front 29

The discovery of Tiktaalik roseae was significant for which of the following reasons?

It provided evidence that birds and dinosaurs are closely related.

It was the first fossil from which DNA and other macromolecules were successfully extracted.

It provided evidence that terrestrial vertebrates are descended from fish.

It provided evidence that the continents were once linked together.

It was the first fossil to be found with soft parts preserved.

Back 29

It provided evidence that terrestrial vertebrates are descended from fish.

Front 30

Evolution's patterns manifest as nested similarities―nesting occurs between molecular sequences of evolutionarily related organisms, and between the different taxa arranged in a phylogenetic tree.

True or False

Back 30

true

Front 31

The ___ level of the taxonomic hierarchy is more inclusive than a family, but less inclusive than a class.

phylum

order

kingdom

genus

species

Back 31

order

Front 32

Based on Figure 23.7, which of the following are examples of convergent evolution?

Back 32

wings in birds and bats

Front 33

During the Permian extinction, what percentage of genera in the ocean disappeared?

50%

75%

90%

25%

95%

Back 33

90%

Front 34

Based on the phylogenetic tree in Fig. 23.22, what character did the last common ancestor of both reptiles and mammals not possess?

lungs

four limbs

amniote embryos

mammary glands

The last common ancestor of reptiles and mammals possessed all of these traits.

Back 34

mammary glands

Front 35

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

True or False

Back 35

true

Front 36

The largest documented mass extinction on Earth occurred:

25 million years ago.

252 million years ago.

6.5 million years ago.

65 million years ago.

650 million years ago.

Back 36

252 million years ago.

Front 37

Phylogenetic trees can be used to infer character states of extinct organisms.

True or False

Back 37

true

Front 38

Imagine that a researcher has created two possible phylogenetic trees for a group of organisms―one that hypothesizes that five character changes occurred in a given group, and one that predicts only two character changes occurred in the same group. If the researcher wants to choose a phylogenetic tree based on parsimony, she will pick the phylogenetic tree with two character changes as her working hypothesis.

True or False

Back 38

true

Front 39

Imagine that a taxonomist is provided with several flashcards on which the names of different species are written. She would likely organize these flashcards to construct a phylogenetic tree, and would pay no attention to which species belong to which genus or class.

True or False

Back 39

false

Front 40

Imagine that you are chatting with one of your friends. He states that reptiles are obviously a monophyletic group, as this group contains all of the organisms (outside of fish) that possess scales. This statement is:

false, as reptiles are a paraphyletic group; this group does not include birds, even though birds are thought to share a common ancestor with reptiles.

true, as monophyletic groups are based solely on the morphological characteristics of their included species.

true, as the reptile group includes all of the organisms derived from a common ancestor on the phylogenetic tree.

false, as reptiles are a polyphyletic group, much like birds and bats. This group contains four-legged, clawed tetrapods.

Back 40

false, as reptiles are a paraphyletic group; this group does not include birds, even though birds are thought to share a common ancestor with reptiles.

Front 41

Dinosaurs disappeared at the end of which period?

Triassic

Permian

Cambrian

Cretaceous
Jurassic

Back 41

Cretaceous

Front 42

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

If molecular sequence data show that bats and this new species share a common ancestor, the wings of these two species would be considered homologous.

If molecular sequence data show that bats and this new species do not share a common ancestor, the wings of bats and this new species would be considered homologous.

If molecular sequence data show that bats and this new species share a common ancestor, the wings of these two species would be considered analogous.

Without any further information, the scientist can say that bat wings and the wings of this new species are homologous.

No data could support or disprove the hypothesis that the wings of bats and the new species are homologous.

Back 42

If molecular sequence data show that bats and this new species share a common ancestor, the wings of these two species would be considered homologous.

Front 43

Seals and penguins both have streamlined body forms that allow them to move through water efficiently. This similarity in body shape is mostly likely the result of:

shared ancestry.

convergent evolution.

phylogeny.

homology.

cladistics.

Back 43

convergent evolution.

Front 44

Compared to more distantly related taxa, the DNA sequences of two closely related taxa are expected to show:

fewer differences because mutation rates are relatively constant and recently diverging species have had less time to accumulate differences.

fewer differences because mutation rates are highly variable and it is just by chance that recently diverging species accumulate fewer differences in DNA sequences.

fewer differences because mutation rates slow down during speciation events so that recently diverging species have fewer mutations.

greater differences because mutation rates accelerate during speciation events, leading to greater changes in DNA sequences.

greater differences because mutation rates are relatively constant and recently diverging species have had more time to accumulate differences.

Back 44

fewer differences because mutation rates are relatively constant and recently diverging species have had less time to accumulate differences.

Front 45

Which of the following statements is true regarding phylogenetic trees?

Phylogenetic trees based on molecular sequence data always assume that the rate of evolution varies between different organisms.

As synapomorphies only occur for morphological characters, molecular sequence synapomorphies cannot be used to construct phylogenetic trees.

Both morphological and molecular synapomorphies can be used to construct phylogenetic trees.

Phylogenetic trees are only constructed based on morphological data; molecular data (even for viruses) is never used in the construction of such trees.

Phylogenetic trees are always constructed based on morphological or molecular sequence data―never both.

Back 45

Both morphological and molecular synapomorphies can be used to construct phylogenetic trees.

Front 46

Both analogies and homologies are always used to create phylogenetic trees. In fact, analogies often provide more information regarding the evolutionary relationships between different species than do homologies.

True or False

Back 46

false

Front 47

Which of the following statements are true regarding fossils?

Fossils can form with the same frequency in any environment. This includes lakebeds, the ocean floor, artic regions, and mountaintops.

The term "fossil" only includes skeletal remains of organisms, and does not include things like footprints, eggs or excrement.

In the plant fossil record, fossilized flower petals are much more common than fossilized pollen.

Molecular sequence data that depicts the divergence time between organisms can stand independently and never needs to be corroborated by fossil evidence.

None of the above answers are correct.

Back 47

None of the above answers are correct.

Front 48

The half-life of carbon-14 is 5730 years. If a sample contained 100% carbon-14 and 0% nitrogen-14 at a point in time 17,190 years ago, then what percentage of carbon-14 would it contain today?

50%

25%

75%

12.5%
100%

Back 48

12.5%

Front 49

The half-life of carbon-14 is 5730 years. Approximately how old is a fossil that contains .25g carbon-14 and .75g nitrogen-14?

17,190 years

28650 years

5730 years

11,460 years

22,920 years

Back 49

11,460 years

Front 50

Which of the following radioisotopes could be used to accurately date a fossil that is thought to be over 750 million years old?

uranium 235

carbon 14 or uranium 235

uranium 238

uranium 235 or uranium 238
carbon 14

Back 50

uranium 238