Question 1

What does the principle of parsimony state?

Accepted Answer

A)   The most complex plausible explanation of any phenomenon is the best.
B)   The simplest plausible explanation of any phenomenon is the best.
C)   The most practical approach to any phenomenon is the best.
D)   The simplest practical approach to any phenomenon is the best.

Question 2

PhyloCode identifies and names organisms instead of pigeonholing them into traditional taxonomic categories.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

Primitive feathers in certain dinosaurs evolved in anticipation of flight in their descendants, the birds.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

Match each of the following terms with its definition or description.
-includes an ancestor and all its descendants

Accepted Answer

A)  monophyletic taxon
B)  polyphyletic taxon
C)  paraphyletic taxon
D)  homology
E)  convergent evolutionF) homoplasyG) phylogenyH) apomorphyI) synapomorphyJ) outgroup

Question 5

What helped biologists to predict that nonavian dinosaurs probably incubated their eggs and cared for their young?

Accepted Answer

A)   distribution of their morphology on a cladogram of archosaurs
B)   distribution of their parental care behaviour on a cladogram of archosaurs
C)   distribution of their physiology on a cladogram of archosaurs
D)   distribution of their egg laying behaviour on a cladogram of archosaurs

Question 6

What is convergent evolution?

Accepted Answer

A)   a tendency among organisms living under different conditions to develop different body forms
B)   a tendency among organisms living under the same conditions to develop different body forms
C)   a tendency among organisms living under the same conditions to develop similar body forms
D)   a tendency among organisms living under different conditions to develop similar body forms

Question 7

Why is the traditional taxon class Reptilia considered paraphyletic?

Accepted Answer

A)   It includes an ancestor and all its descendants.
B)   It includes an ancestor and some, but not all, of its descendants.
C)   It does not include an ancestor along with some of its descendants.
D)   It does not include an ancestor along with all its descendants.

Question 8

Match each of the following terms with its definition or description.
-includes organisms from different clades, but not their ancestor

Accepted Answer

A)  monophyletic taxon
B)  polyphyletic taxon
C)  paraphyletic taxon
D)  homology
E)  convergent evolutionF) homoplasyG) phylogenyH) apomorphyI) synapomorphyJ) outgroup

Question 9

Nodes represent common ancestors that underwent cladogenesis and produced two descendant clades.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

Match each of the following terms with its definition or description.
-a product of convergent evolution

Accepted Answer

A)  monophyletic taxon
B)  polyphyletic taxon
C)  paraphyletic taxon
D)  homology
E)  convergent evolutionF) homoplasyG) phylogenyH) apomorphyI) synapomorphyJ) outgroup

Question 11

Which of these traits are ancestral character states found in mammals?

Accepted Answer

A)   vertebral column and four legs
B)   hair and mammary glands
C)   vertebral columns and reduced number of bones in lower jaw
D)   hair and reduced number of bones lower jaw

Question 12

What depicts the relative age of clades on a phylogenetic tree?

Accepted Answer

A)   horizontal spacing between clades
B)   relative positions of the nodes from which they emerge
C)   the position of the clades
D)   the position of the branches

Question 13

What is a node on a phylogenetic tree?

Accepted Answer

A)   a species
B)   an emerging twig
C)   an evolutionary lineage
D)   a branching point

Question 14

Which taxon includes the descendants only, and NOT the most common ancestor?

Accepted Answer

A)   monophyletic
B)   paraphyletic
C)   polyphyletic
D)   both monophyletic and polyphyletic

Question 15

Which of these statements best describes a monophyletic taxon?

Accepted Answer

A)   includes species from different evolutionary lineages
B)   includes an ancestral species and all its descendants
C)   includes an ancestral species and only some of its descendants
D)   includes only the ancestral species

Question 16

Which taxon includes an ancestor and all its descendants?

Accepted Answer

A)   monophyletic
B)   paraphyletic
C)   polyphyletic
D)   both monophyletic and polyphyletic

Question 17

Which of these statements best describes a polyphyletic taxon?

Accepted Answer

A)   includes species from different evolutionary lineages
B)   includes an ancestral species and all its descendants
C)   includes an ancestral species and only some of its descendants
D)   includes only the ancestral species

Question 18

Match each of the following terms with its definition or description.
-a derived character state

Accepted Answer

A)  monophyletic taxon
B)  polyphyletic taxon
C)  paraphyletic taxon
D)  homology
E)  convergent evolutionF) homoplasyG) phylogenyH) apomorphyI) synapomorphyJ) outgroup

Question 19

Each character can exist in two forms, described as character states.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 20

Match each of the following terms with its definition or description.
-includes an ancestor and some, but not all, of its descendants

Accepted Answer

A)  monophyletic taxon
B)  polyphyletic taxon
C)  paraphyletic taxon
D)  homology
E)  convergent evolutionF) homoplasyG) phylogenyH) apomorphyI) synapomorphyJ) outgroup

Exam 19: Systematics and Phylogenetics: Revealing the Tree of Life

Which of these traits are ancestral character states found in mammals?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What depicts the relative age of clades on a phylogenetic tree?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Primitive feathers in certain dinosaurs evolved in anticipation of flight in their descendants, the birds.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Match each of the following terms with its definition or description. -a derived character state

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

PhyloCode identifies and names organisms instead of pigeonholing them into traditional taxonomic categories.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why is the traditional taxon class Reptilia considered paraphyletic?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What helped biologists to predict that nonavian dinosaurs probably incubated their eggs and cared for their young?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of these statements best describes a polyphyletic taxon?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Match each of the following terms with its definition or description. -a product of convergent evolution

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What is a node on a phylogenetic tree?

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Match each of the following terms with its definition or description. -includes an ancestor and all its descendants

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What is convergent evolution?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of these statements best describes a monophyletic taxon?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which taxon includes the descendants only, and NOT the most common ancestor?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Match each of the following terms with its definition or description. -includes an ancestor and some, but not all, of its descendants

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

What does the principle of parsimony state?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Nodes represent common ancestors that underwent cladogenesis and produced two descendant clades.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which taxon includes an ancestor and all its descendants?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Match each of the following terms with its definition or description. -includes organisms from different clades, but not their ancestor

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Each character can exist in two forms, described as character states.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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