Biology 1407 exam questions and
answers graded A+
Where lineages diverge, and the _______ axis represents time. (Assume that the tree is oriented as
depicted in the textbook.) - ANS✅✅root; nodes; horizontal
Consider four species of conifers. Species A and B are sister species. Species C and D are also sister
species. The clade containing species A and B is a sister to the clade containing species C and D. Not
counting the root as a node, how many nodes would be found in a phylogenetic tree of species A, B,
C, and D? - ANS✅✅two
Traits in two or more organisms that are similar but not derived from a common ancestor are called
- ANS✅✅homoplastic traits
Unrelated lineages of rodents that moved to islands have increased in size relative to close relatives
that are on the mainland. This increase in size is an example of _______ which is a type of _______. -
ANS✅✅convergent evolution; homoplasy
Species A and species B have long wings, whereas species C has short wings. Which piece of
evidence would best support the hypothesis that long wings are a synapomorphy? - ANS✅✅Fossil
evidence showing that the common ancestor of species A, B, and C had short wings
From a survey of Martian life, three hypothetical species are found. These are nicknamed krons, furs,
and pars. If krons and furs are sister species, the resulting phylogenetic tree will have 45
homoplasies. If krons and pars are sister species, the tree will have 52 homoplasies. Krons and pars
have red body patches, whereas krons and furs have striped bodies. Based on the principles of
parsimony, krons and _______ are sister species, _______ a synapomorphy. - ANS✅✅furs; and
striped bodies is likely
Some species in a hypothetical family of plants are hermaphrodites, and others have flowers with
separate sexes. What would be most useful in determining which condition was the derived one? -
ANS✅✅finding an outgroup
Four different phylogenetic trees of a group of salamanders have been proposed. Trees A and B each
require 12 homoplasies, but tree A requires 14 synapomorphies and tree B requires 13
synapomorphies. Tree C requires 15 homoplasies and 13 synapomorphies. Finally, tree D requires 10
homoplasies and 15 synapomorphies. According to the principle of parsimony, which tree(s) is/are
the most accurate? - ANS✅✅tree D
, The trait that would be least useful in a phylogenetic analysis would be one that - ANS✅✅is
altered easily by a small change in diet
Phylogenetic analysis of HIV and nonhuman SIV demonstrates that HIV is _______ and SIV is
_______. - ANS✅✅polyphyletic; paraphyletic
Studies of female platyfishes, whose male counterparts have a variety of tail shapes, show that the
females prefer male fish with artificial swordlike structures attached to their tails. This observation is
most consistent with the - ANS✅✅sensory exploitation hypothesis
Males of a species of sparrow sing very rapid songs. Experimental evidence shows that females of
this species prefer these fast songs over slowed-down songs. Which would be the strongest support
for the sensory exploitation hypothesis? - ANS✅✅Related species have males that do not sing as
fast, but the females from these other species also prefer very fast songs over songs of males from
their own species.
Scientists have been able to reconstruct DNA sequences in an ancestral archosaur to produce an
opsin protein. Knowledge of the opsin sequence in the ancestral archosaur provides clues about the
animals' visual capabilities and probable behaviors. Which conclusion based on their results is false?
- ANS✅✅the ancestral trait for this protein could not be recreated
Humans and chimpanzees diverged about 6 million years ago. If 20 nucleotide substitutions have
occurred between human and chimpanzee lineages in a sequence of mitochondrial DNA, and 30
have occurred between humans and gorillas, then, according to the molecular clock hypothesis,
humans and gorillas separated _______ million years ago. - ANS✅✅9
which statement about molecular clocks is true? - ANS✅✅they can give an average rate of change
in an amino acid sequence
the lamiaceae is a(n) _____ of ____ - ANS✅✅family;plants
which statement about biological classification is false - ANS✅✅The same binomial name may be
given to two different organisms as long as they are in different phyla.
Had Wallace died before sending a letter to Darwin, which circumstance would be most likely? -
ANS✅✅darwin would have published his evolutionary theory later than he did
answers graded A+
Where lineages diverge, and the _______ axis represents time. (Assume that the tree is oriented as
depicted in the textbook.) - ANS✅✅root; nodes; horizontal
Consider four species of conifers. Species A and B are sister species. Species C and D are also sister
species. The clade containing species A and B is a sister to the clade containing species C and D. Not
counting the root as a node, how many nodes would be found in a phylogenetic tree of species A, B,
C, and D? - ANS✅✅two
Traits in two or more organisms that are similar but not derived from a common ancestor are called
- ANS✅✅homoplastic traits
Unrelated lineages of rodents that moved to islands have increased in size relative to close relatives
that are on the mainland. This increase in size is an example of _______ which is a type of _______. -
ANS✅✅convergent evolution; homoplasy
Species A and species B have long wings, whereas species C has short wings. Which piece of
evidence would best support the hypothesis that long wings are a synapomorphy? - ANS✅✅Fossil
evidence showing that the common ancestor of species A, B, and C had short wings
From a survey of Martian life, three hypothetical species are found. These are nicknamed krons, furs,
and pars. If krons and furs are sister species, the resulting phylogenetic tree will have 45
homoplasies. If krons and pars are sister species, the tree will have 52 homoplasies. Krons and pars
have red body patches, whereas krons and furs have striped bodies. Based on the principles of
parsimony, krons and _______ are sister species, _______ a synapomorphy. - ANS✅✅furs; and
striped bodies is likely
Some species in a hypothetical family of plants are hermaphrodites, and others have flowers with
separate sexes. What would be most useful in determining which condition was the derived one? -
ANS✅✅finding an outgroup
Four different phylogenetic trees of a group of salamanders have been proposed. Trees A and B each
require 12 homoplasies, but tree A requires 14 synapomorphies and tree B requires 13
synapomorphies. Tree C requires 15 homoplasies and 13 synapomorphies. Finally, tree D requires 10
homoplasies and 15 synapomorphies. According to the principle of parsimony, which tree(s) is/are
the most accurate? - ANS✅✅tree D
, The trait that would be least useful in a phylogenetic analysis would be one that - ANS✅✅is
altered easily by a small change in diet
Phylogenetic analysis of HIV and nonhuman SIV demonstrates that HIV is _______ and SIV is
_______. - ANS✅✅polyphyletic; paraphyletic
Studies of female platyfishes, whose male counterparts have a variety of tail shapes, show that the
females prefer male fish with artificial swordlike structures attached to their tails. This observation is
most consistent with the - ANS✅✅sensory exploitation hypothesis
Males of a species of sparrow sing very rapid songs. Experimental evidence shows that females of
this species prefer these fast songs over slowed-down songs. Which would be the strongest support
for the sensory exploitation hypothesis? - ANS✅✅Related species have males that do not sing as
fast, but the females from these other species also prefer very fast songs over songs of males from
their own species.
Scientists have been able to reconstruct DNA sequences in an ancestral archosaur to produce an
opsin protein. Knowledge of the opsin sequence in the ancestral archosaur provides clues about the
animals' visual capabilities and probable behaviors. Which conclusion based on their results is false?
- ANS✅✅the ancestral trait for this protein could not be recreated
Humans and chimpanzees diverged about 6 million years ago. If 20 nucleotide substitutions have
occurred between human and chimpanzee lineages in a sequence of mitochondrial DNA, and 30
have occurred between humans and gorillas, then, according to the molecular clock hypothesis,
humans and gorillas separated _______ million years ago. - ANS✅✅9
which statement about molecular clocks is true? - ANS✅✅they can give an average rate of change
in an amino acid sequence
the lamiaceae is a(n) _____ of ____ - ANS✅✅family;plants
which statement about biological classification is false - ANS✅✅The same binomial name may be
given to two different organisms as long as they are in different phyla.
Had Wallace died before sending a letter to Darwin, which circumstance would be most likely? -
ANS✅✅darwin would have published his evolutionary theory later than he did
