Exam 19: The Evolution of Vertebrate Diversity

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

Which animal group is characterized by the absence of tails?

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

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

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).

Which characteristic of vertebrates is associated with colonization of land?

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

-Which line on the graph corresponds to an amniote?

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

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

Mammals

Unlike sharks and rays, ray-finned fishes have

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

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

Lampreys differ from fishes in that lampreys

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

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?

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

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

-Which clade is most directly related to lancelets?