Question 1

If you were using cladistics to construct a phylogenetic tree of birds, what is the best outgroup?
A) eagles
B) robins
C) bats
D) eastern bluebirds

Accepted Answer

The best outgroup for constructing a phylogenetic tree of birds would be a taxon that is closely related but clearly outside the group being studied. Bats would be the best outgroup as they belong to the same class (Mammalia) but are not closely related to birds. Eagles, robins, and eastern bluebirds are all birds and thus would not be appropriate outgroups.

Question 2

Based on this tree, mammals are as closely related to birds as they are to snakes.

Accepted Answer

The statement is false. Based on the tree, mammals are more closely related to birds than they are to snakes.

Question 3

Which of the following statements about taxonomy is NOT true?
A) In cladistics, a common ancestor and all its descendents that share one or more derived traits are placed in a single clade.
B) Analogous structures are derived from a common ancestral structure to perform the same function.
C) Biochemical data and the fossil record can be used independently to indicate the length of time since two species diverged from a common ancestor.
D) Homologous structures are derived from a single structure in the ancestor, although they may be adapted to different uses in the descendent species (e.g., a dog's foreleg and a human's arm).

Accepted Answer

Analogous structures are not derived from a common ancestral structure, but rather they have evolved independently in different species to perform the same function.

Question 4

Phylogenetic trees with proportional branch lengths
A) indicate relatedness among organisms.
B) indicate the relative number of nucleotide pair differences between groups.
C) are constructed by comparing DNA sequences of homologous genes and calibrating this molecular clock with the fossil record.
D) All of the answer choices are true.
E) indicate relatedness evolutionary time.

Accepted Answer

Phylogenetic trees with proportional branch lengths indicate relatedness among organisms, the relative number of nucleotide pair differences between groups, and they are constructed by comparing DNA sequences of homologous genes and calibrating this molecular clock with the fossil record. Therefore, all the answer choices are true. They also allow for estimating evolutionary time.

Question 5

A recent book by a reputable biologist suggests there is a deep, hot biosphere under the Earth's crust that may have more biomass than all life at the Earth's surface. This would primarily rely on what organisms?
A) primitive animals
B) primitive heat-loving plants
C) fungi living on the detritus from above
D) thermoacidophilic archaea
E) viruses

Accepted Answer

The presence of a deep, hot biosphere relies on thermoacidophilic archaea, which are organisms that thrive in extreme conditions such as high temperatures and acidity levels. These archaea are known to survive in geothermal areas such as hot springs and deep-sea hydrothermal vents, and may be a significant contributor to the biomass of the deep biosphere.

Question 6

Based on this tree, the lineage leading to ________ was the first to diverge from the other lines. 
A) turtles
B) birds
C) dinosaurs
D) mammals
E) crocodilians

Accepted Answer

The answer of Based on this tree, the lineage leading...

Question 7

Which kingdom is correctly described?
A) Plantae: multicellular and photoautotrophic
B) Fungi: multicellular and heterotrophic by ingestion
C) Animalia: multicellular and heterotrophic by absorption
D) Protista: unicellular and heterotrophic only

Accepted Answer

Plantae is correctly described as multicellular and photoautotrophic, meaning they are made up of multiple cells and produce their own food through photosynthesis.

Question 8

Single celled eukaryotic cells belong to which of the following domains?
A) Eukarya
B) Fungi
C) Animalia
D) Plantae

Accepted Answer

Single celled eukaryotic cells belong to the Eukarya domain. Eukarya consists of all organisms with eukaryotic cells, including single-celled protists, fungi, plants, and animals.

Question 9

If there are so many million insects and so few scientists to describe them, perhaps we could just assign the insects numbers and descriptions, rather than names. Describe why this would not accomplish the same "job" as giving them a scientific name, and provide two potential items of knowledge that would be missing with just a number and description. Simply, what does naming an organism also accomplish?

Accepted Answer

The answer of If there are so many million insects...

Question 10

All of the following are true regarding systematics EXCEPT that it
A) is the study of the diversity of organisms at all levels of organization.
B) is the specific study of identification, naming, and classification of organisms.
C) relies on data from the fossil record, homology, and molecular data.
D) utilizes protein, DNA, and RNA comparisons to determine relatedness of individuals.

Accepted Answer

Systematics encompasses more than just the identification, naming, and classification of organisms (which is specifically the domain of taxonomy). It also includes the evolutionary relationships and history of organisms, relying on a wide range of data including fossils, homology, and molecular data.

Question 11

The evolution of organisms in the three domains and four kingdoms is most accurately described by which sequence?
A) Prokaryotes to Protists to Plants, from Plants separately to both Animals and Fungi
B) Prokaryotes to Fungi to Protists to Plants to Animals
C) Prokaryotes to Protists, from Protists separately to Fungi, Plants, and Animals
D) Protists to Prokaryotes to Fungi, from Fungi separately to Plants and Animals
E) Prokaryotes to Protists, separately to Animals and Plants with Fungi a loss of plant photosynthesis

Accepted Answer

This sequence is most accurate because it reflects the current understanding of the evolution of organisms in the three domains and four kingdoms. Prokaryotes (bacteria and archaea) are believed to be the earliest forms of life, followed by the emergence of protists as the first eukaryotic organisms. From protists, three distinct evolutionary lineages formed, leading to the emergence of fungi, plants, and animals. This is reflected in the sequence: Prokaryotes to Protists, from Protists separately to Fungi, Plants, and Animals.

Question 12

The outlined group is 
A) monophyletic.
B) paraphyletic.
C) polyphyletic.
D) monophyletic and paraphyletic are correct.

Accepted Answer

The outlined group is paraphyletic because it includes only a subset of the descendants of a common ancestor. The group includes the common ancestor and some, but not all, of its descendants.

Question 13

Which of the following best represents analogous structures?
A) the arm of a human and the wing of a bat
B) the arm of a human and the leg of a human
C) the wing of a butterfly and the wing of a bee
D) the wing of a bat and the wing of a butterfly

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following best represents analogous...

Question 14

When comparing archaea with bacteria
A) both archaea and bacteria are easily cultured and studied in the laboratory.
B) the chemical nature of the cell wall of archaea and bacteria is identical and shows their early relationship.
C) bacteria are not very diverse and are limited in distribution, while archaea are far more diverse and found everywhere.
D) the archaea and bacteria are cases of reduction in traits and are both derived from early eukarya.
E) None of the choices are true.

Accepted Answer

Archaea and bacteria differ significantly in their cell wall composition and other molecular characteristics, making B incorrect. Both groups are diverse and widely distributed, which contradicts C. Archaea and bacteria are not derived from eukaryotes; instead, they, along with eukaryotes, diverged from a common ancestor, making D incorrect. Additionally, not all archaea and bacteria are easily cultured in the laboratory, which makes A incorrect.

Question 15

When ectoparasites first arrive and adapt to the fur or feathery habitat of a host, they often lose more complex ancestral features. So it is possible to gain a trait in evolution and subsequently lose it. However, it is considered vastly improbable that this same trait will again re-evolve. Therefore, in trying to trace evolutionary lineages, can we always expect the most primitive forms to be the simplest and the most advanced to be the most complex? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of When ectoparasites first arrive and adapt to...

Question 16

Early biologists referred to animals as ''simple" and ''advanced," but now it is more accurate to use the following terms:
A) ''allopatric" and ''sympatric," since the species is most important.
B) "generalists" and ''specialists," since this is how biologists classify characters.
C) ''simple" and ''complex," since anatomy terms are more exact.
D) ''evolved" and ''un-evolved," since everything ties together with evolution.
E) ''primitive" and ''derived," since some early forms became very complex and some evolved forms are derived from them but lost characters and are simple.

Accepted Answer

Using the terms "primitive" and "derived" is more accurate because it recognizes that some early forms may have become very complex and that some evolved forms may have lost characters and become simpler. This reflects the complexity of evolution and the importance of considering the full history of a species. Using terms like "simple" and "advanced" can be misleading and may not accurately reflect the true diversity and complexity of different animal species.

Question 17

Which of the following Domains include the majority of the organisms that were previously classified in Kingdom Monera?
A) Bacteria and Eubacteria
B) Protista and Eukarya
C) Archaea and Algae
D) Eukarya and Bacteria
E) Archaea and Bacteria

Accepted Answer

Kingdom Monera contained only prokaryotic organisms, which are now split between the domains Archaea and Bacteria. Therefore, the majority of these organisms are now found within the domains Archaea and Bacteria.

Question 18

Eels are as closely related to lizards as they are to snakes.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Eels are as closely related to lizards...

Question 19

The famous Greek philosopher Aristotle could be thought of as a taxonomist since he identified and grouped organisms.

Accepted Answer

Aristotle is regarded as one of the first taxonomists because he is credited with identifying and grouping organisms into categories based on their physical and biological characteristics. He classified animals into genera, species, and orders based on their characteristics such as mode of reproduction, type of habitat, and morphological traits.

Question 20

Taxonomy
A) is the branch of biology dealing with the naming, identification, and classification of organisms.
B) uses a binomial system developed by Linnaeus.
C) uses reproductive isolation as the basis of definition of a species.
D) All of the choices are correct.

Accepted Answer

All of the choices are correct. Taxonomy is the branch of biology that deals with the identification, naming, and classification of organisms. It uses Linnaeus' binomial system to give unique scientific names to each species. Reproductive isolation is one of the factors used to define a species in taxonomy. Therefore, all the options are correct.

Quiz 19: Taxonomy, Systematics, and Phylogeny

If you were using cladistics to construct a phylogenetic tree of birds, what is the best outgroup?

Based on this tree, mammals are as closely related to birds as they are to snakes.

Which of the following statements about taxonomy is NOT true?

Phylogenetic trees with proportional branch lengths

A recent book by a reputable biologist suggests there is a deep, hot biosphere under the Earth's crust that may have more biomass than all life at the Earth's surface. This would primarily rely on what organisms?

Based on this tree, the lineage leading to ________ was the first to diverge from the other lines.

Which kingdom is correctly described?

Single celled eukaryotic cells belong to which of the following domains?

All of the following are true regarding systematics EXCEPT that it

The evolution of organisms in the three domains and four kingdoms is most accurately described by which sequence?

The outlined group is

Which of the following best represents analogous structures?

When comparing archaea with bacteria

Early biologists referred to animals as ''simple" and ''advanced," but now it is more accurate to use the following terms:

Which of the following Domains include the majority of the organisms that were previously classified in Kingdom Monera?

Eels are as closely related to lizards as they are to snakes.

The famous Greek philosopher Aristotle could be thought of as a taxonomist since he identified and grouped organisms.

Taxonomy