Contemporary Biology - Quiz 9-11

Classification is an important aspect of understanding and describing the many life forms on earth. In their classification scheme, biologists use different "ranks" that are more or less inclusive. Which of the following correctly lists these ranks from most to least inclusive?

domain, phylum, family, genus, species

Altruistic behavior in animals may be a result of kin selection, a theory maintaining that:

genes are more likely to persist within a population when they cause behaviors that assist other animals who share those genes

Which of the following taxonomic ranks is most inclusive?

kingdom

The sex with the greater energetic investment in reproduction will be ___________________ when it comes to mating.

more discriminating

The _________ species concept is most often used to classify fossils.

morphological

Most amphibians develop from eggs laid ______ and live as adults _______.

In water, on land

Why is the amniotic egg considered a key evolutionary innovation?

It greatly increases the survival probabilities of eggs in a terrestrial environment because it prevents drying before the eggs hatch

Which is a common characteristic of the Mollusca?

Most have a shell that protects their soft body.

Why is the goose in this figure rolling a beer can back to her nest?

She is exhibiting a fixed action pattern that directs her to retrieve any item that even vaguely resembles an egg.

Earthworms are good/beneficial organisms for the soil in gardens.

True

During the breeding season, the sight of a red belly on any other stickleback triggers aggressive behavior in a male stickleback. This is called:

a fixed action pattern

There is a population of deer that are living in one location. An earthquake occurs resulting in a large river that separates the population of deer into two populations. This results in reproductive isolation since the deer cannot swim across the big river. Over time, the two populations will experience genetic divergence resulting in two different species. This is an example of _________ speciation.

allopatric

The figure represents a phylogenetic tree of the:

animals

Which of the following groups would be placed nearest the fungi in a phylogenetic tree based on DNA sequence?

animals

All animals:

are heterotrophic; they eat other living organisms

There are several factors in mate selection. When female yellow-bellied marmots prefer rock outcropping that provide retreats for predator escape and for hibernation and are controlled by dominant males, this is an example of ____________.

control of valuable resources

The perceive evolution in which there is little change for long periods of time interrupted by short periods with major changes is called:

punctuated equilibrium

The biological species concept is primarily based on:

reproductive isolation

According to the biological species concept, species are natural populations of organisms that have the potential to interbreed and are ____________ isolated from other such populations.

reproductively

In the classification of living organisms, the specific epithet is the same as the _______ name.

species

Reptiles show numerous adaptations for a completely terrestrial life cycle. One adaptation that first occurred in the reptiles includes:

the amniotic egg

From an evolutionary perspective, what is the explanation for modern human preference for fatty foods?

Ancestral humans who preferred fatty foods were less likely to starve, leaving more offspring in the next generation.

The saliva of blood-sucking earthworms has an anticoagulant that prevents blood from clotting.

False - its leeches, not earthworms

There are several factors in mate selection. When a male peacock shows his feathers in order to attract a female, this is an example of _____________.

Good looks

Arguments that a morphological characteristic or behavior has evolved because it benefits the species or population are arguments for:________________. But because this decreases the reproductive success of individuals, it very rarely occurs.

Group Selection

Sharks have ________________ skeletons, while salmon have _______________ skeletons.

cartilaginous; bony

There are several factors in mate selection. When a hanging fly male must bring a large offering of food to the female before she will mate with him, this is an example of _____________.

gifts up front

The current mass extinction is believed to be primarily caused by:

human actions

The undersides of the arms of a sea star are carpeted with _________ that extended and contract in waves, grasping and releasing the substrate as the animal glides along.

tube feet

The waggle dance is:

used for food location in honeybees