Ch 26

Phylogeny is the evolutionary history of related groups of organisms. Organisms are grouped into taxa based on homologous characteristics, shared traits that result from common ancestry. Which statement is true? A. Ancestral traits are always simpler than derived traits. B. Homologous structures look the same and serve the same function, but they differ in evolutionary origin and structure. C. The term "monophyletic" refers to a taxon that includes an ancestral species and all of its descendants.

Based on this tree, which statement is not correct? A. Lizards are more closely related to salamanders than to humans. B. The group highlighted by shading is paraphyletic. C. Salamanders are as closely related to goats as to humans. D. Salamanders are a sister group to the group containing lizards, goats, and humans. E. The salamander lineage is a basal taxon.

Which of the following taxonomic categories contains all the others listed here? A. genus B. class C. species D. order E. family

Select the correct statement about phylogenetic trees. A. Phylogenetic trees always show increased branching, representing increased diversity over time. B. All phylogenetic trees are similarly shaped. C. Phylogenetic trees may expand quickly to maximum width and then narrow over time.

To apply parsimony to constructing a phylogenetic tree, A. base phylogenetic trees only on the fossil record, as this provides the simplest explanation for evolution. B. choose the tree that assumes all evolutionary changes are equally probable. C. choose the tree that represents the fewest evolutionary changes, in either DNA sequences or morphology. D. choose the tree with the fewest branch points. E. choose the tree in which the branch points are based on as many shared derived characters as possible.

If you were using cladistics to build a phylogenetic tree of cats, which of the following would be the best outgroup? A. tiger B. domestic cat C. wolf D. leopard E. lion

Which observation supports the position of eukaryotes at the convergence of the "ring of life"? A. Eukaryotes and archaeans both lack peptidoglycan in their cell walls. B. Introns are rare in both bacteria and archaeans. C. Only eukaryotes perform mitosis. D. The nuclear genome of eukaryotes contains genes from archaeans and from bacteria. E. Circular chromosomes are present in both bacteria and archaeans.

Molecular clocks are based on the idea that _____. A. advantageous mutations arise at a constant rate B. directional selection occurs at a constant rate C. mutations occur once every generation D. on average neutral mutations arise at a constant rate E. molecules resonate at a certain frequency that can be measured

The relative lengths of the frog and mouse branches in the phylogeny in Figure 26.12 in your textbook indicate that A. the homolog has evolved more slowly in mice. B. the homolog has evolved more rapidly in mice. C. frogs evolved before mice. D. the genes of frogs and mice have only coincidental homoplasies. E. mice evolved before frogs.

In a comparison of birds and mammals, having four limbs is A. a character useful for sorting bird species. B. a shared derived character. C. an example of analogy rather than homology. D. a shared ancestral character. E. a character useful for distinguishing birds from mammals.

What process actually increases the number of genes in an organism's genome? A. mutation B. gene duplication C. parsimony D. cladistics E. independent assortment

In Figure 26.4 in your textbook, which similarly inclusive taxon descended from the same common ancestor as Canidae? A. Carnivora B. Felidae C. Canis D. Lutra E. Mustelidae

By definition a clade is _____. A. polyphyletic B. paraphyletic C. monophyletic D. parsimonious E. analogous

Three living species X, Y, and Z share a common ancestor T, as do extinct species U and V. A grouping that consists of species T, X, Y, and Z (but not U or V) makes up A. a polyphyletic group. B. a valid taxon. C. a paraphyletic group. D. an ingroup, with species U as the outgroup. E. a monophyletic clade.

Which process occurred frequently in the early history of the three domains on Earth, and makes determining phylogenetic relationships of that time difficult? A. mitosis B. meiosis C. horizontal gene transfer D. binary fission E. alternative RNA splicing

Why do researchers use rRNA in investigations of relationships between taxa that diverged hundreds of millions of years ago? A. DNA coding for rRNA changes relatively slowly. B. rRNA mutates rapidly. C. rRNA cannot mutate. D. rRNA is never the nucleic acid chosen for comparisons. E. rRNA is traditionally the nucleic acid chosen for recent comparisons.

This phylogenetic tree was constructed by comparing sequences for a homologous gene involved in development. Select the correct statement. A. A frog is the ancestor of both a mouse and a chicken. B. The common ancestor of a human and a frog and the common ancestor of a mouse and a chicken lived at the same time. C. The nucleotide sequence of this gene in a mouse is more similar to the sequence in a chicken, and both are less similar to the nucleotide sequence of this gene in a frog.

This figure shows a phylogenetic tree of birds and their close relatives. Identify the monophyletic taxon. A. Birds and dinosaurs and their common ancestor B. Birds and crocodiles and their common ancestor C. Birds and the common ancestor of dinosaurs and birds

Fossil evidence indicates that some dinosaurs had feathers. If birds are indeed descended from dinosaurs, feathers are what kind of character? A. shared derived character B. shared ancestral character C. polyphyletic character D. cladistic character E. analogous character

Which of these are homologous structures? A. Ivy leaf and pine needle B. Plant root and plant leaf C. There are no homologous plant structures.

An organ, such as the liver, is composed of _____. A. organs B. populations C. communities D. tissues

Which of these is an organ system? A. stomach B. mucosa C. dog D. digestive E. gamete

What are the two main types of cells? A. bacteria and archaea B. plant and animal C. bacteria and protists D. prokaryotes and eukaryotes E. bacteria and eukaryotes

Darwin's thinking while on the Beagle was greatly influenced by his reading of a book written by _____. A. Shakespeare B. Lyell C. Bishop Ussher D. Wallace E. Chaucer

According to this climatograph, London experiences more precipitation during _____ than during any other month. A. July B. October C. June D. January E. February

Which of these is a consequence of uniformitarianism? A. Populations evolve. B. Earth is round, not flat. C. A Creator made Earth. D. Populations reproduce faster than their food supply. E. Earth is very old.

The Argentinean pampas are a type of _____. A. chaparral B. temperate deciduous forest C. desert D. tropical forest E. grassland

At the fossil site at Punta Alta, Darwin found evidence _____. A. that extinction does not happen B. of extinction C. of divine creation D. that the pampas could support large mammals E. that Brazilian flatworms were a type of slug

Patagonia is a _____. A. tropical forest B. savanna C. grassland D. desert E. chaparral

His experiences with Fuegians and slavery convinced Darwin that differences among all peoples are primarily _____ differences. A. genetic B. cultural and genetic C. genetic and height-related D. due to height E. cultural

Species in hot climates tend to _____ compared to species in cold climates. A. be less colorful B. experience less interspecific competition C. have smaller surface-to-volume ratios D. have larger surface-to-volume ratios E. have less fear of humans

In the Andes, at elevations of 12,000 feet, Darwin collected fossilized marine shells. The existence of marine shells at this altitude provided evidence that _____. A. Earth's surface does not change B. the deposit had been gradually uplifted to its present location C. someone carried them from the oceans and left them on the mountains D. marine organisms can survive at great elevation E. geologic processes occur at a rapid rate

The Galápagos Islands are located _____. A. in the Antarctic B. off the coast of Brazil C. in the Arctic D. off the coast of California E. Off the coast of Ecuador

Why were the Galápagos Islands so important to Darwin's formulation of natural selection? A. Each island in the Galápagos possessed unique species. B. The Galápagos Islands are the only place in the world where finches are found. C. The species found on the Galápagos Islands are also found in Australia. D. They are where Darwin did most of his writing. E. They provided evidence in support of uniformitarianism.

Which type of selection tends to increase genetic variation? Which type of selection tends to increase genetic variation? A. Directional selection B. Disruptive selection C. Stabilizing selection

In a bell-shaped curve, the x-axis (horizontal direction) of the graph represents which of the following? A. The number of individuals B. Time C. The value of a particular characteristic; characteristics of an organism can include such traits as size and color.

True or false? Heterozygote advantage refers to the tendency for heterozygous individuals to have better fitness than homozygous individuals. This higher fitness results in less genetic variation in the population. True or false? Heterozygote advantage refers to the tendency for heterozygous individuals to have better fitness than homozygous individuals. This higher fitness results in less genetic variation in the population. A. True B. False

Long necks make it easier for giraffes to reach leaves high on trees, while also making them better fighters in "neck wrestling" contests. In both cases, which kind of selection appears to have made giraffes the long-necked creatures they are today? Long necks make it easier for giraffes to reach leaves high on trees, while also making them better fighters in "neck wrestling" contests. In both cases, which kind of selection appears to have made giraffes the long-necked creatures they are today? A. Disruptive selection B. Directional selection C. Stabilizing selection

Women often have complications during labor while giving birth to very large babies, whereas very small babies tend to be underdeveloped. Which kind of selection is most likely at work regarding the birth weight of babies? Women often have complications during labor while giving birth to very large babies, whereas very small babies tend to be underdeveloped. Which kind of selection is most likely at work regarding the birth weight of babies? A. Disruptive selection B. Directional selection C. Stabilizing selection

Black-bellied seedcrackers have either small beaks (better for eating soft seeds) or large beaks (better for hard seeds). There are no seeds of intermediate hardness; therefore, which kind of selection acts on beak size in seedcrackers? Black-bellied seedcrackers have either small beaks (better for eating soft seeds) or large beaks (better for hard seeds). There are no seeds of intermediate hardness; therefore, which kind of selection acts on beak size in seedcrackers? A. Directional selection B. Disruptive selection C. Stabilizing selection

Small Aristelliger lizards have difficulty defending territories, but large lizards are more likely to be preyed upon by owls. Which kind of selection acts on the adult body size of these lizards? Small Aristelliger lizards have difficulty defending territories, but large lizards are more likely to be preyed upon by owls. Which kind of selection acts on the adult body size of these lizards? A. Directional selection B. Stabilizing selection C. Disruptive selection

True or false? A codon is a group of three bases that can specify more than one amino acid. A. True B. False

Which of the following statements about mutations is false? A. Addition and deletion mutations disrupt the primary structure of proteins. B. An addition mutation results in an added base in the DNA sequence. C. A deletion mutation results in the loss of a base in the DNA sequence. D. A knock-out mutation results in a total absence of the mutated protein.

If a DNA sequence is altered from TAGCTGA to TAGTGA, what kind of mutation has occurred? A. Addition. B. None. C. Both addition and deletion. D. Deletion.

Which mutation(s) would not change the remainder of the reading frame of a gene sequence that follows the mutation(s)? A. One addition and two deletion mutations. B. One deletion mutation. C. One addition and one deletion mutation. D. One addition mutation.

If the sequence ATGCATGTCAATTGA were mutated such that a base were inserted after the first G and the third T were deleted, how many amino acids would be changed in the mutant protein? A. Three. B. Two. C. None. D. One.

If a mutated DNA sequence produces a protein that differs in one central amino acid from the normal protein, which of the following kinds of mutations could have occurred? A. An addition mutation and a deletion mutation. B. A deletion mutation. C. An addition mutation D. None.

Rank the species from most closely related to horseflies to most distantly related to horseflies. If two species are equally close in their relatedness to horseflies, overlap them.

Drag the aliens and shared derived characters to their appropriate locations on this phylogenetic tree. Use only the blue labels for the blue targets and the white labels for the white targets.

Select the most parsimonious tree. If there is a tie, select both trees. (For help approaching this problem, open Hint 2.) A. phylogenetic tree I B. phylogenetic tree II C. phylogenetic tree III D. phylogenetic tree IV

Drag the appropriate tRNAs to the binding sites on the ribosome to show the configuration immediately before a new peptide bond forms. Note that one of the binding sites should be left empty.

Based on the genetic code chart above, which of the following would be the result of this single base-pair substitution? A. a missense mutation causing a single amino acid change in the protein B. a nonsense mutation resulting in early termination of translation C. a frameshift mutation causing extensive change in the amino acid sequence of the protein D. a frameshift mutation causing a single amino acid change in the protein E. a silent mutation (no change in the amino acid sequence of the protein)

For each protein, identify its targeting pathway: the sequence of cellular locations in which the protein is found from when translation is complete until it reaches its final (functional) destination. (Note that if an organelle is listed in a pathway, the location implied is inside the organelle, not in the membrane that surrounds the organelle.)

Blue poppies native to China were grown at a plant-breeding center in California. The plants with the thickest leaves were most likely to survive and reproduce in the drier climate. After several generations, the percentage of thick-leaved plants had increased by 42%. This adaptation of the poppies to their new environment is due to _____. A. directional selection B. neutral variation C. genetic drift D. stabilizing selection E. disruptive selection

Where are the Solomon Islands located? A. in the South Pacific B. off the coast of California C. in the Mediterranean Sea D. off the southern tip of Florida

Scientists studying evolution on the Solomon Islands described which animal as the 'poster child' for the biological species concept? A. white-eye bird B. frog C. snake D. sea turtle

Based on the video, what can you infer about speciation--the process by which one species splits into two or more species? A. It is rare for new species to form on islands. B. Different species are typically very different in appearance, even if they are closely related. C. New species typically form as a consequence of new parasites or predators in the environment. D. Physical separation of populations is often part of the speciation process.

Why did the biologists consider a frog that they found to be a new species? A. It jumped higher than other known frogs. B. Its call was unique. C. It was larger than any known frog. D. Its coloration was different from other known frogs.

When Darwin wrote On the Origin of Species, he knew very little about the subject of _____, an essential component of evolutionary theory today. A. marine biology B. botany C. genetics D. zoology

What is the correct order for the hierarchy of biological organization from the least to the most complex? A. molecule, organelle, cell, tissue, organ, organ system, organism, ecosystem, community, population B. molecule, organelle, cell, tissue, organ, organ system, organism, population, ecosystem, community C. molecule, organelle, cell, tissue, organ, organ system, organism, population, community, ecosystem D. molecule, organelle, tissue, cell, organ, organ system, organism, population, community, ecosystem E. molecule, cell, tissue, organelle, organ, organ system, organism, population, community, ecosystem

Which statement is true of nucleic acids? A. (a) rRNA positions amino acids along mRNA. B. (b) mRNA binds amino acids together to make proteins. C. (c) mRNA is part of the ribosome. D. (d) DNA carries information for making RNA. E. Both (b) and (d).

The information in DNA tells a cell how to make ... A. (a) proteins. B. (b) DNA. C. (c) tRNA. D. Both (a) and (b). E. (a), (b), and (c).

The green molecules in the diagram ... A. (a) contain the base uracil. B. (b) contain the sugar deoxyribose. C. (c) are made by copying RNA. D. Both (a) and (c). E. (a), (b), and (c).

Which statement is true of the process in the animation below? A. (a) It's called DNA replication. B. (b) Cells do it to produce proteins. C. (c) Its product contains the nitrogenous base thymine. D. Both (a) and (b). E. Both (b) and (c).