Deck 19: The Evolution of Vertebrate Diversity

Question 1

Unlike sharks and rays, ray-finned fishes have

A) an operculum.
B) a lateral line system.
C) a flexible skeleton made of cartilage.
D) hinged jaws.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Based on Acanthostega fossils, scientists now believe that the earliest tetrapods were

A) fully terrestrial.
B) amphibians that used their limbs to drag themselves over the land from one water hole to another.
C) fish that used their limbs to raise themselves out of the water to get gulps of air for oxygen.
D) reptiles that resembled crocodiles.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Jaws appear to have evolved from

A) the fusion of many bony elements found in the skin of the neck region of jawless ancestors.
B) a large, bony shield that protruded from between the base of the pectoral fins.
C) modification of a disk of bones surrounding the mouth in lampreys.
D) skeletal rods that supported gill slits near the mouth.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Recall that the cuticle seals plant surfaces and helps plants conserve water, and the seed helps derived plant groups to reproduce effectively on dry land. The analogous adaptations in reptiles are ________ (analogous to the cuticle) and ________ (analogous to the seed).

A) scales; jellylike egg masses
B) scales; the amniotic egg
C) scales; aquatic larvae
D) claws; lungs

Question 5

Which bird trait is an adaptation that is probably less well developed in flightless birds such as penguins and ostriches?

A) honeycombed bone structure
B) amniotic egg
C) vertebrae
D) presence of feathers

Question 6

Which statement best summarizes the difference between ectothermic and endothermic organisms?

A) Ectotherms are warm-blooded, but endotherms are cold-blooded.
B) Endotherms control their temperature, but ectotherms have no control over their temperature.
C) Ectotherms absorb external heat, but endotherms use metabolic heat to maintain a warm, steady body temperature.

Question 7

Which adaptations allowed reptiles to complete their life cycles on land?

A) lungs
B) ectothermic metabolism
C) an amniotic egg
D) four legs

Question 8

The vertebrate group that describes all jawed vertebrates with two pairs of limbs is the

A) craniates.
B) amniotes.
C) tetrapods.
D) mammals.

Question 9

The key derived character of the lobe-finned fish is the

A) lateral line system.
B) series of rod-shaped bones in their pectoral and pelvic fins.
C) operculum.
D) flattened scales covering their skin.

Question 10

Lampreys differ from fishes in that lampreys

A) lack a backbone.
B) lack an endoskeleton.
C) lack jaws.
D) possess a backbone and skull.

Question 11

Craniates are chordates that all possess

A) a head.
B) jaws.
C) a vertebral column.
D) amniotic eggs.

Question 12

A key derived character of sharks and rays that distinguishes them from ray-finned fishes is

A) jaws and a swim bladder.
B) vertebrae.
C) calcified (hard) bones.
D) a skeleton made of cartilage

Question 13

Which is characteristic of all vertebrates?

A) a skull and a backbone consisting of vertebrae
B) a calcified (hard) skeleton and four legs
C) a hinged jaw
D) lungs or lung derivatives

Question 14

Which animals are ectothermic?

A) frogs and mammals
B) lizards and birds
C) turtles and lizards
D) birds and mammals

Question 15

Which statement best describes the current scientific view of birds?

A) a group of feathered, endothermic dinosaurs
B) a group of feathered, ectothermic lizards that lack teeth
C) a group of flying, endothermic reptiles that have lost teeth, the amniotic egg, and other heavy body features as an adaptation for flight
D) a group of flying mammals that are derived from monotremes, which also lay amniotic eggs

Question 16

By far the largest number of extant fish species on Earth have

A) a cartilaginous skeleton.
B) rasping tongues to enhance their parasitic behavior.
C) an operculum and swim bladder.

Question 17

Amphibians were diverse and abundant in the lush swamp forests of the ________, which is sometimes referred to as the age of the amphibians.

A) Cambrian period
B) Pleistocene epoch
C) Mesozoic era
D) Carboniferous period

Question 18

The duck-billed platypus and other monotremes differ from other mammals in that they

A) are aquatic.
B) lay eggs.
C) have mammary glands.
D) have hair.

Question 19

Which statement best describes how flight and feathers are related in the evolution of birds?

A) The first flying birds did not have feathers, which evolved later.
B) Feathers and flight evolved at the same time.
C) The first feathered ancestors to birds did not fly but may have used their feathers for insulation and display.
D) Feathers are soft and do not leave fossils or fossil traces, so it is unknown which organisms first had feathers.

Question 20

Mammals

A) evolved from birds.
B) all give birth to live young.
C) all lay eggs.
D) have hair and mammary glands.

Question 21

As an example of the relationship between structure and function the forward-facing eyes shared by all primates help them in

A) manipulating small objects.
B) depth perception as they navigate through forests.
C) swinging from tree branches.
D) seeing in the dark.

Question 22

Which part of the body is likely to be much more diverse in mammals compared to that in other groups?

A) the teeth
B) the structure of the vertebrae
C) the structure of the limbs
D) the jawbone

Question 23

"Lucy," who belongs to the group ________, was a bipedal hominin with a brain smaller than that of humans.

A) Australopithecus
B) Homo erectus
C) Ardipithecus
D) Homo habilis

Question 24

Which animal is an ape?

A) New World monkey
B) Old World monkey
C) orangutan
D) tarsier

Question 25

Prehensile tails are found among

A) Old World monkeys.
B) most hominoids.
C) New World monkeys.
D) all primates.

Question 26

Which animal group is characterized by the absence of tails?

A) apes
B) Old World monkeys
C) New World monkeys
D) lemurs

Question 27

A prehensile tail is like an opposable thumb in that both

A) evolved before the anthropoids.
B) are used for grasping.
C) can be fully bent in any direction.
D) are characteristics of the earliest primates.

Question 28

The hominin group includes

A) Homo sapiens only.
B) Homo sapiens and several extinct human relatives.
C) humans and all other apes.
D) all anthropoids.

Question 29

Which is the first distinctively hominin trait to appear in the fossil record?

A) sophisticated stone tools
B) increased brain size
C) upright walking (bipedalism)

Question 30

________ spend almost all of their time on the ground, instead of in trees.

A) Gorillas
B) Orangutans
C) Gibbons
D) Chimpanzees

Question 31

Which organism is a marsupial?

A) echidna
B) kangaroo
C) whale
D) zebra

Question 32

Compared to other primates, anthropoids have

A) a decreased reliance upon vision.
B) a stronger reliance upon smell.
C) a fully opposable thumb.
D) smaller total body size in most cases.

Question 33

The Salalizard is a fictional vertebrate that lives in the forest and appears to be half salamander and half lizard. You are not allowed to collect any wild animals, so you decide to take a video of it to show your colleagues. What behavior best distinguishes the Salalizard as either a salamander (amphibian) or a lizard (reptile)?

A) what the animal eats
B) if it lives in trees
C) where it reproduces
D) whether it is active at night

Question 34

Reptiles are not able to eat as frequently as mammals and birds can eat. This is due to a trait that mammals and birds share but that reptiles do not have. What is this trait?

A) airfoils
B) endothermy
C) amniotic egg
D) teeth

Question 35

Which organism is a monotreme?

A) echidna
B) kangaroo
C) whale
D) zebra

Question 36

Complete the analogy: ________ is/are to birds as ________ is/are to mammals.

A) Wings; legs
B) Water; milk
C) Feathers; hair
D) Wings; opposable thumbs

Question 37

________ appears to have been the first hominin to use stone tools.

A) Homo erectus
B) Homo habilis
C) Ardipithecus
D) Australopithecus

Question 38

Hominin fossil footprints that are obviously bipedal date to about ________ years ago.

A) 50,000
B) 100,000
C) 3.6 million
D) 12 million

Question 39

Human DNA and chimpanzee DNA differ by

A) about 1%.
B) about 3%.
C) more than 10%.
D) the same amount that human DNA differs from orangutan DNA.

Question 40

The last common ancestor shared by humans and chimpanzees lived about

A) 6,000-8,000 years ago.
B) 5-7 million years ago.
C) 25-40 million years ago.
D) 1.5-2.5 billion years ago.

Question 41

Neanderthals are best described as

A) direct ancestors to modern humans.
B) direct ancestors to modern Europeans but not to other human populations.
C) a localized form or subspecies of Homo sapiens that was well adapted to living in caves and carrying clubs.
D) a hominin that colonized Europe independently of Homo sapiens and that interbred with modern humans.

Question 42

Which would a shark not be able to detect with its lateral line system?

A) schools of fish
B) mobile predators
C) stationary objects
D) sand on the bottom of the ocean floor

Question 43

Human skin color likely represents a locally adapted compromise between

A) the need to block UV radiation that causes cancer and the need to absorb sunlight for heat.
B) the need to block UV radiation that destroys folate and the need to synthesize vitamin D.
C) the need to block UV radiation that destroys folate and the need to absorb sunlight for heat.
D) the need to blend in with the environment and the need to absorb sunlight for heat.

Question 44

Complete the analogy: ________ are to plant evolution as ________ is/are to vertebrate evolution.

A) Ferns; insects
B) Mosses; Tiktaalik
C) Angiosperms; fungi
D) Fungi; birds

Question 45

Compared to other hominins, modern Homo sapiens display a particular ability for

A) symbolic thought.
B) making stone tools.
C) upright walking.
D) manipulating objects with their hands.

Question 46

All humans alive today have inherited their mitochondrial DNA from some individual female common ancestor. Studies indicate this woman probably lived about ________ years ago, when fossil evidence indicates that Homo sapiens was restricted to ________.

A) 20,000; Africa
B) 50,000; Africa and Asia
C) 180,000; Africa
D) 500,000; Africa, Asia, and Europe

Question 47

According to the fossil record, the genus Homo first arose in

A) North America.
B) Europe.
C) Asia.
D) Africa.

Question 48

The earliest hominin to be found outside of Africa belongs to which species?

A) Australopithecus afarensis
B) Homo habilis
C) Homo erectus
D) Homo sapiens

Question 49

Which statement is true?

A) Sharks have a skeleton made of bone, while ray-finned fishes have flexible skeletons made of cartilage.
B) Ray-finned fishes have a skeleton made of bone, while sharks have flexible skeletons made of cartilage.
C) Sharks have a series of rod-shaped bones in their muscular pectoral and pelvic fins, while lobe-fins have flexible skeletons made of cartilage.

Question 50

A number of different genes have been identified as affecting skin color and there are probably more as yet unidentified. Each of these genes likely has several regulatory protein factors affecting their expression, and those proteins are coded for by yet more genes. Thus there are many genes, some of which have multiple alleles, involved in determining skin color. What property of skin color does this multigene foundation not explain?

A) Some people tan easily and some get sunburned rather than becoming tan.
B) Some people have very dark skin, some have very light skin, and there is nearly continuous variation in between.
C) There is variation in the amount of vitamin D humans need.
D) Skin color can be acted on by natural selection.

Question 51

Which statement is true?

A) A line of lobe-finned fishes gave rise to tetrapods, and a line of tetrapods gave rise to modern amphibians.
B) A line of tetrapods gave rise to chordates, and a line of lobe-finned fishes gave rise to tetrapods.
C) A line of amphibians gave rise to tetrapods, and a line of lobe-finned fishes gave rise to modern amphibians.
D) Tetrapods and amphibians evolved at approximately the same time, while lobe-finned fishes evolved 2 million years later.

Question 52

The most recent evidence clarifying the relationship between modern humans and Neanderthals comes from analysis of

A) skeletal structure.
B) the types of tools that were made by Neanderthals.
C) Neanderthal artwork and burial rites.
D) Neanderthal mitochondrial DNA.

Question 53

Like many insects, some amphibians undergo ________ in their life cycle as they have distinct larval and adult stages.

A) aquatic development followed by terrestrial existence
B) development in a nest followed by flight
C) metamorphosis
D) alternation of generations

Question 54

Complete the analogy: ________ are to vertebrate evolution as ________ are to plant evolution.

A) Lungs; stomata
B) Amniotic eggs; seeds
C) Limbs; flowers
D) Opposable thumbs; hyphae

Question 55

Which characteristic of vertebrates is associated with colonization of land?

A) opposable thumbs
B) lungs
C) internal fertilization
D) gills

Question 56

Of all of the chordate groups, why are there only two amniote groups (reptilia and mammalia)?

A) Amniotes are the only chordate group that has successfully survived the transition to land.
B) The other craniate groups had brains that were not developed enough to allow the organisms to develop tool-building survival skills.
C) The vertebral columns of the other vertebrates were not strong enough to survive the transition to land.
D) The other jawed vertebrates were not able to obtain enough food to survive the transition to land.

Question 57

The fossil "hobbits" discovered in Indonesia may be a ________ that lived ________.

A) newly discovered species of Homo; as recently as 18,000 years ago
B) population of Homo sapiens with a genetic disorder; at the same time as the Neanderthals
C) lineage of early hominins; about 5 million years ago
D) dwarf lineage of Australopithecus; around the same time as "Lucy"

Question 58

Of the over 19,000 new species described for the first time in 2009, more than half were

A) marine organisms.
B) plants.
C) insects.
D) vertebrates.

Question 59

Which extinct hominin first appeared about 1.9 million years ago and had a larger brain than Homo habilis, its immediate predecessor?

A) Homo ergaster
B) Homo neanderthalensis
C) Homo sapiens
D) Australopithecus

Question 60

Fossil and genetic evidence strongly supports the idea that modern humans

A) independently arose from three different ancestral Homo species in Africa and Eurasia.
B) all derive from a single African lineage that spread from there into other parts of the world starting about 50,000 years ago.
C) derive from an African lineage but also have genes derived from mixing with several Eurasian descendants of Homo erectus.
D) derive from Neanderthals that independently evolved the features of modern humans in Europe and Africa.

Question 61

Use the figure below to answer the questions that follow.

Which line on the graph corresponds to an amniote?

A) A
B) B
C) C
D) A or B

Question 62

Use the figure below to answer the questions that follow.
Source: Parra, E. J., Kittles, R. A., & Shriver, M. D. (2004). Implications of correlations between skin color and genetic ancestry for biomedical research. Nature Genetics, 36, S54-S60.
The graphs shown indicate the range of melanin amounts in the skin of populations from four different geographic regions. Which graph is likely to be from a geographic area where there is less UV radiation?

A) A
B) B
C) C
D) D

Question 63

Use the figure below to answer the questions that follow.

According to this figure, which species lived concurrently with Homo ergaster?

A) Australopithecus anamensis
B) Australopithecus africanus
C) Paranthropus boisei
D) Homo sapiens

Question 64

Use the figure below to answer the questions that follow.

Which clade is most directly related to lancelets?

A) ray-finned fishes
B) lampreys
C) hagfishes
D) lobe-fins

Question 65

After reading the paragraphs below, answer the questions that follow.
Bipedalism is one of the most important characteristics of hominin evolution. The appearance of bipedalism led to anatomical changes that are considered to be distinguishing characteristics of hominin fossils. The evidence for bipedalism is supported by fossil evidence from more than 4 million years ago and 3.6-million-year-old footprints in volcanic ash.
Recently, however, scientists have focused on the link between tooth structure and diet in the evolution of the early hominins, specifically in Australopithecus species. Detailed studies of hominin dental features have provided evidence of an important dietary shift that led to adaptive radiation within this genus. Most of the evidence comes from analyses of tooth size and shape, microscopic wear patterns on teeth, and jaw structure. The evidence suggests that fibrous plant materials became more important through the Pliocene, perhaps as critical components in the diet of some species.
Evidence from fossil dentition suggests that Australopithecus species

A) evolved specifically to eat meat.
B) experienced a decrease in both tooth size and brain size.
C) were direct ancestors of modern humans.
D) were adapted to function successfully in a wide range of habitats.

Question 66

The greatest incidence of skin cancer (melanoma) would be expected to occur in

A) people who are deficient in vitamin D and live near the poles.
B) people who are deficient in folate and live near the poles.
C) people who are deficient in vitamin D and live near the equator.
D) people who are deficient in folate and live near the equator.

Question 67

According to this figure, which group includes the closest living relatives to tetrapods such as amphibians, reptiles, and mammals?

A) tunicates
B) sharks and rays
C) ray-finned fishes
D) lobe-finned fishes

Question 68

Use the figure below to answer the questions that follow.

Which option lists the major groups or genera from the fossil record in the correct order from earliest to most recent?

A) Australopithecus, Sahelanthropus, Homo
B) Sahelanthropus, Ardipithecus, Australopithecus, Homo
C) Ardipithecus, Sahelanthropus, Australopithecus, Homo
D) Sahelanthropus, Homo, Australopithecus, Ardipithecus

Question 69

Use the figure below to answer the questions that follow.

Suppose a fossil was found and identified to be a species approximately 3.5 million years old. This fossil could be a representative of which species?

A) Australopithecus afarensis or Australopithecus anamensis
B) Kenyanthropus platyops or Australopithecus africanus
C) Kenyanthropus platyops or Australopithecus afarensis
D) Australopithecus afarensis or Australopithecus africanus

Question 70

After reading the paragraphs below, answer the questions that follow.
Bipedalism is one of the most important characteristics of hominin evolution. The appearance of bipedalism led to anatomical changes that are considered to be distinguishing characteristics of hominin fossils. The evidence for bipedalism is supported by fossil evidence from more than 4 million years ago and 3.6-million-year-old footprints in volcanic ash.
Recently, however, scientists have focused on the link between tooth structure and diet in the evolution of the early hominins, specifically in Australopithecus species. Detailed studies of hominin dental features have provided evidence of an important dietary shift that led to adaptive radiation within this genus. Most of the evidence comes from analyses of tooth size and shape, microscopic wear patterns on teeth, and jaw structure. The evidence suggests that fibrous plant materials became more important through the Pliocene, perhaps as critical components in the diet of some species.
What is the most likely evolutionary link between bipedalism and changes in the diet of early hominids?

A) Bipedal species would be more likely to remain in one type of habitat.
B) Bipedalism led to new farming practices.
C) It is easier to escape predators with an upright posture.
D) The greater ability to move to new habitats facilitated exploitation of new foods.

Question 71

Use the figure below to answer the questions that follow.
Source: Parra, E. J., Kittles, R. A., & Shriver, M. D. (2004). Implications of correlations between skin color and genetic ancestry for biomedical research. Nature Genetics, 36, S54-S60.
The graphs shown indicate the range of melanin amounts in populations from four different geographic regions. Not all populations across the globe have the same number of genes or alleles controlling skin color. Which population is likely to be the most genetically diverse in terms of genes affecting skin color?

A) B
B) C
C) D

Question 72

Use the figure below to answer the questions that follow.

Suppose scientists discovered an organism that had a head with a brain at the anterior end of the dorsal nerve, eyes and other sensory organs, a skull, and a vertebral column. The organism could not be a(n)

A) lamprey.
B) hagfish.
C) ray-finned shark.
D) amphibian.

Question 73

According to this figure, which two groups are most closely related?

A) tarsiers and gibbons
B) gorillas and orangutans
C) chimpanzees and gibbons
D) Old World monkeys and humans

Question 74

Light skin is most adaptive in northern latitudes because

A) dark skin allows folate destruction when UV radiation is less.
B) the greater UV radiation in northern latitudes destroys vitamin D.
C) increased melanin causes an increase in the risk of melanoma.
D) light skin in northern latitudes allows adequate folate for fetal development.

Question 75

Use the figure below to answer the questions that follow.
Source: Parra, E. J., Kittles, R. A., & Shriver, M. D. (2004). Implications of correlations between skin color and genetic ancestry for biomedical research. Nature Genetics, 36, S54-S60.
The graphs shown indicate the range of melanin amounts in populations from four different geographic regions. Of these populations, population D is likely most adapted for

A) having enough vitamin D to produce strong bones.
B) being protected against skin cancer.
C) preventing the breakdown of folate (folic acid).
D) having very active melanin-producing cells.

Question 76

Use the figure below to answer the questions that follow.

The main difference between the earliest evolved tetrapods and the most recently evolved tetrapods is that

A) later tetrapods have larger brains.
B) later tetrapods produce milk to feed their young.
C) early tetrapods lack legs.
D) early tetrapods lack a vertebral column.

Question 77

A number of different genes have been identified as affecting skin color and there are probably more as yet unidentified. Each of these genes likely has several regulatory protein factors affecting their expression, and those proteins are coded for by yet more genes. Thus there are many genes involved in determining skin color. A reasonable hypothesis about the geographic distribution of these genes is

A) different mutations affecting skin color are likely to be present in geographically different populations of humans.
B) humans living in areas with less UV radiation are likely to have many more mutations for skin color and therefore have a greater variation in skin color.
C) in any given geographic area, natural selection is likely to lead to a wide variation in skin color.