Exam 34: Vertebrates

The following questions refer to the description below. Terry catches a ray-finned fish from the ocean and notices that, attached to its flank, there is an equally long, snakelike organism. The attached organism has no external segmentation, no scales, a round mouth surrounded by a sucker and two small eyes. Terry thinks it might be a marine leech, a hagfish, or a lamprey. -The endoskeletons of most vertebrates are composed of calcified

The following questions refer to the description below. While on an intersession course in tropical ecology, Kris pulls a large, snakelike organism from a burrow (the class was granted a collecting permit). The 1-m-long organism has smooth skin, which appears to be segmented. It has two tiny eyes that are hard to see because they seem to be covered by skin. Kris brings it back to the lab at the field station, where it is a source of puzzlement to the class. Kris says that it is a giant oligochaete worm; Shaun suggests it is a legless amphibian; Kelly proposes it belongs to a snake species that is purely fossorial (lives in a burrow). -Examination of the fossils of Archaeopteryx reveals that, in common with extant birds, it had

Which is the most specific group that includes both the Old World monkeys and the New World monkeys?

The following questions refer to the description below. While on an intersession course in tropical ecology, Kris pulls a large, snakelike organism from a burrow (the class was granted a collecting permit). The 1-m-long organism has smooth skin, which appears to be segmented. It has two tiny eyes that are hard to see because they seem to be covered by skin. Kris brings it back to the lab at the field station, where it is a source of puzzlement to the class. Kris says that it is a giant oligochaete worm; Shaun suggests it is a legless amphibian; Kelly proposes it belongs to a snake species that is purely fossorial (lives in a burrow). -The adaptation of snakes to their body shape has resulted in one of their lungs having become vestigial. Another adaptation (to a fossorial lifestyle)is snakes' absence of limbs. If the "mystery organism" has also become adapted to a fossorial lifestyle, though its ancestors moved about on the surface, then which structures should one expect to find upon dissecting the organism? 1) reduced or absent pelvic and/or pectoral girdles 2) metanephridia 3) hydrostatic skeleton

The following questions refer to the description below. While on an intersession course in tropical ecology, Kris pulls a large, snakelike organism from a burrow (the class was granted a collecting permit). The 1-m-long organism has smooth skin, which appears to be segmented. It has two tiny eyes that are hard to see because they seem to be covered by skin. Kris brings it back to the lab at the field station, where it is a source of puzzlement to the class. Kris says that it is a giant oligochaete worm; Shaun suggests it is a legless amphibian; Kelly proposes it belongs to a snake species that is purely fossorial (lives in a burrow). -The organism was found to have two lungs, but the left lung was much smaller than the right lung. Kelly added that the herpetology instructor had said that in most snakes, the same condition exists. If the size difference between the lungs in this organism is not a shared ancestral characteristic with its occurrence in snakes, then its existence in this organism is explained as a(n) 1. result of convergent evolution. 2) example of homologous structures. 3) similar adaptation to a shared lifestyle or body-plan. 4) result of having identical Hox genes. 5) homoplasy.

What do craniates have that earlier chordates did not have?

For the following items, match the extant vertebrate groups with the descriptions. -Internal fertilization, amniotic egg, skin that resists drying, heavy bones

With which of the following statements would a biologist be most inclined to agree?

Which are the most abundant and diverse of the extant vertebrates?

The following questions refer to the phylogenetic tree shown in Figure 34.1. -Whose forelimbs are most analogous to those of keeled birds and bats?

Arrange the following taxonomic terms from most inclusive (i.e., most general)to least inclusive (i.e., most specific): 1. hominoids 2) hominins 3) Homo 4 anthropoids 5) primates

Which is the most inclusive (most general)group, all of whose members have foramina magna centrally positioned in the base of the cranium?

According to one hypothesis, the jaws of vertebrates were derived by the modification of

Which term is most nearly synonymous with "apes"?

The following questions refer to the description below. While on an intersession course in tropical ecology, Kris pulls a large, snakelike organism from a burrow (the class was granted a collecting permit). The 1-m-long organism has smooth skin, which appears to be segmented. It has two tiny eyes that are hard to see because they seem to be covered by skin. Kris brings it back to the lab at the field station, where it is a source of puzzlement to the class. Kris says that it is a giant oligochaete worm; Shaun suggests it is a legless amphibian; Kelly proposes it belongs to a snake species that is purely fossorial (lives in a burrow). -Why is the amniotic egg considered an important evolutionary breakthrough?

The following questions refer to the description below. While on an intersession course in tropical ecology, Kris pulls a large, snakelike organism from a burrow (the class was granted a collecting permit). The 1-m-long organism has smooth skin, which appears to be segmented. It has two tiny eyes that are hard to see because they seem to be covered by skin. Kris brings it back to the lab at the field station, where it is a source of puzzlement to the class. Kris says that it is a giant oligochaete worm; Shaun suggests it is a legless amphibian; Kelly proposes it belongs to a snake species that is purely fossorial (lives in a burrow). -Which of these characteristics added most to vertebrate success in relatively dry environments?

Which of these species was the first to have been adapted for long-distance bipedalism?

Which is the most inclusive (most general)group, all of whose members have fully opposable thumbs?

The following questions refer to the description below. Terry catches a ray-finned fish from the ocean and notices that, attached to its flank, there is an equally long, snakelike organism. The attached organism has no external segmentation, no scales, a round mouth surrounded by a sucker and two small eyes. Terry thinks it might be a marine leech, a hagfish, or a lamprey. -Terry takes the body of the snakelike organism and slices it open along its dorsal side. If it is a hagfish, what should Terry see?

The following questions refer to the description below. While on an intersession course in tropical ecology, Kris pulls a large, snakelike organism from a burrow (the class was granted a collecting permit). The 1-m-long organism has smooth skin, which appears to be segmented. It has two tiny eyes that are hard to see because they seem to be covered by skin. Kris brings it back to the lab at the field station, where it is a source of puzzlement to the class. Kris says that it is a giant oligochaete worm; Shaun suggests it is a legless amphibian; Kelly proposes it belongs to a snake species that is purely fossorial (lives in a burrow). -The class decided to humanely euthanize the organism and subsequently dissect it. Having decided that it was probably not a reptile, two of their original hypotheses regarding its identity remained. Which of the following, if observed, should help them arrive at a conclusive answer?