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Phylogeny & the Tree of Life Questions
and Correct Answers/ Latest Update /
Already Graded
Why are phylogenetic trees considered hypotheses?
Ans: A phylogenetic tree can be used to make testable
predictions.
Researchers can use molecular homologies to __________.
Ans: reveal the number of mutations in a particular sequence
that has occurred in each species since they diverged from a
common ancestor
Which of the following is a true statement concerning horizontal gene
transfer?
Ans: Horizontal gene transfer is known to occur within both
prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
Which of the following is an assumption that should be made when
reading a phylogenetic tree?
Ans: None of the listed assumptions should be made.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |2
Looking at the character table and phylogenetic tree above, which of
the following is a true statement?
Ans: A backbone is a shared ancestral character in mammals
(leopard).
A phylogenetic tree of bird families constructed by cladistic analysis
would be a hypothesis about which of the following?
Ans: Evolutionary relationships among bird families
What is the basis for the use of a molecular clock to determine the
absolute time of evolutionary change?
Ans: Nucleotide substitutions in a gene occur at a relatively
constant rate.
Rabbits and guinea pigs both belong to class Mammalia. This means
they must also both belong to __________.
Ans: phylum Chordata
In cladistics, biologists attempt to place species into groups that each
include an ancestral species and all of its descendants. A group that is
paraphyletic fails to accomplish this goal in what way?
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
Phylogeny & the Tree of Life Questions
and Correct Answers/ Latest Update /
Already Graded
Why are phylogenetic trees considered hypotheses?
Ans: A phylogenetic tree can be used to make testable
predictions.
Researchers can use molecular homologies to __________.
Ans: reveal the number of mutations in a particular sequence
that has occurred in each species since they diverged from a
common ancestor
Which of the following is a true statement concerning horizontal gene
transfer?
Ans: Horizontal gene transfer is known to occur within both
prokaryotes and eukaryotes.
Which of the following is an assumption that should be made when
reading a phylogenetic tree?
Ans: None of the listed assumptions should be made.
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
, Page |2
Looking at the character table and phylogenetic tree above, which of
the following is a true statement?
Ans: A backbone is a shared ancestral character in mammals
(leopard).
A phylogenetic tree of bird families constructed by cladistic analysis
would be a hypothesis about which of the following?
Ans: Evolutionary relationships among bird families
What is the basis for the use of a molecular clock to determine the
absolute time of evolutionary change?
Ans: Nucleotide substitutions in a gene occur at a relatively
constant rate.
Rabbits and guinea pigs both belong to class Mammalia. This means
they must also both belong to __________.
Ans: phylum Chordata
In cladistics, biologists attempt to place species into groups that each
include an ancestral species and all of its descendants. A group that is
paraphyletic fails to accomplish this goal in what way?
All rights reserved © 2025/ 2026 |
