Dinosaurs!
Cretaceous is derived from the Latin word for ______________. 1) Chalk 2) Crater 3) Coal 4) Conglomerate
1) Chalk
Leaping Laelaps was a painting created by __________________. 1) Charles R. Knight 2) Andy Warhol 3) Pablo Picasso 4) Claude Monet
1) Charles R. Knight
What type of plankton accumulate after death to form chalk? 1) Coccolithophores 2) Radiolarians 3) Diatoms 4) Foraminifers
1) Coccolithophores
Where is the Chicxulub Crater located? 1) The Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico 2) Northern Alberta 3) Eastern Cuba 4) Offshore Angola, western Africa 5) West coast of Portugal
1) The Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico
The Cliffs of Dover in England are made up of ________________. 1) Chert 2) Coal 3) Chalk 4) Sandstone 5) Basalt 6) Granite
3) Chalk
Which organelle facilitates photosynthesis? 1) Golgi apparatus 2) Nucleus 3) Chloroplast 4) Mitochondria
3) Chloroplast
An animal adapted for running on long limbs is best described as ____________. 1) Arboreal 2) Fossorial 3) Cursorial
3) Cursorial
Titanosaurs from the Late Cretaceous archipelago in Europe exhibit which of the following trends? 1) Increase in size to gigantic proportions 2) Decrease in neck size 3) Decrease in overall body size to tiny proportions
3) Decrease in overall body size to tiny proportions
Lambeosaurine hadrosaurids are characterized by the presence of ________________. 1) Smooth foreheads with no crests 2) Horns 3) Elaborate crests 4) Tufts of feathers
3) Elaborate crests
Saurischian dinosaurs exhibit all of the following derived characteristics except _________. 1) A reduced or lost digit 5 2) A digit 1 that is rotated to face the palm - allowing for grasping 3) Metarsal bones that overlap at the joint 4) A pubis bone that runs parallel to the ischium
4) A pubis bone that runs parallel to the ischium
Which of the following is not an activity in the field of taxonomy? 1) Description of organisms 2) Identification of species 3) Developing nomenclature to name species 4) Classify species into related groups 5) Collect fossils
5) Collect fossils
Where did the Nodosaur fossil in the Greshko article come from?: a) Alberta, Canada b) Montana, United States c) Western Australia d) Northern Germany
Alberta, Canada
Which Class do humans belong to? 1) Class Amphibia 2) Class Reptilia 3) Class Aves 4) Class Mammalia
Class Mammalia
The oldest unaltered fossils are __________ in age. a) Silurian b) Triassic c) Jurassic d) Cretaceous e) Paleogene
Jurasic
In embryos of birds, both tails and hand bones are present during stages of development - and are later shrunk and merged into a much reduced tail and a fused hand. These are examples of atavisms. 1) True 2) False
True
In natural selection, individuals with advantageous adaptations are more likely to reproduce, so these adaptations are eventually spread through the population of the species. True False
True
No DNA fragments were extracted from dinosaur bone material - instead a variety of proteins, collagen, and osteocytes (bone cells) were extracted. True False
True
Nodosaurs bear a body armor composed of bony osteoderms coated with keratin. True False
True
Reptiles, Mammals and Birds all share an amniotic egg or had ancestors that laid amniotic eggs. 1) True 2) False
True
Science is about making observations, coming up with explanations for the observations, and then testing the observation. 1) True 2) False
True
The common misconception is that dinosaurs consist of any large extinct animal. True False
True
Transgenesis is an evolutionary modification tool used to take genes from the genetic information from one animal and inserting it into the genetic material in a different species. Offspring then express the new gene, such as glowing. True False
True
Which of the following is not a characteristic that Dinosaurs (and all reptiles) exhibit? a) Mammary glands b) Amniotic egg c) Scaly skin d) Openings in the skull behind the eye socket for muscle attachment
a) Mammary glands
B-Rex was determined by Mary Schweitzer to be female on the basis of which characteristic of the bones? a) Medullary tissue b) Larger Osteocytes c) More gracile (narrower) bones d) Associated egg shell material with the bones
a) Medullary tissue
Darwin described his theory and provided reams of evidence in his book titled______________. a) On the Origin of Species b) Systema Naturae c) Biologia d) A primer on Animal Relationships
a) On the Origin of Species
On each island in the Galapagos, were distinct species of _______________ that Darwin collected samples of and information on. a) Tortoises and Finches b) Porpoises and Iguanas c) Iguanas and Tortoises d) Horses and Cats e) Cats and Finches
a) Tortoises and Finches
Which of the following groups is descended from dinosaurs? a) Frogs and Salamanders b) Birds c) Mammals d) Crocodiles and Alligators e) Turtles
b) Birds
Which of the following groups is descended from dinosaurs? a) Frogs and Salamanders b) Birds c) Mammals d) Crocodiles and Alligators e) Turtles
b) Birds
The Jurassic rocks in Michigan are economically important, what resource(s) are extracted from them? a) Oil b) Groundwater aquifer c) Dimension Stone d) Gold e) Iron Ore
b) Groundwater aquifer c) Dimension Stone
Which vessel did Charles Darwin sail on during his early career? a) USS Enterprise b) HMS Beagle c) The Pequod d) HMS Titanic e) HMS Erebus
b) HMS Beagle
A horse is a type of vertebrate animal. What mineral is secreted to form the teeth and bones of a horse? a) Silica b) Calcite c) Fluorite d) Apatite
b) fluorite
Which pair of paleontologists were involved in the Bone Wars during the late 1800's? a) Mary Anning b) Charles Darwin c) Albert Einstein d) Edward Drinker Cope e) Othniel Charles Marsh f) Alfred Russel Wallace
d) Edward Drinker Cope e) Othniel Charles Marsh
Which of the following is not a bone in the dinosaurian pelvic girdle or hips? a) Ischium b) Illium c) Pubis d) Scapula
d) Scapula
Charles Darwin was spurred to publish his theory upon receiving letters detailing a similar theory from this person? a) James Hutton b) Mary Anning c) Queen Victoria I d)Alfred Russel Wallace e) Gregor Mendel f)Carolus Linnaeus
d)Alfred Russel Wallace
What type of unconformity is represented by a gap in the fossil record between relatively parallel layers of sedimentary rock? 1) Nonconformity 2) Angular Unconformity 3) Disconformity
disconformity
At the end of which time period, did the Dinosaurs die out? a) Silurian b) Permian c) Triassic d) Jurassic e) Cretaceous f) Paleogene
e) Cretaceous
In a sprawling posture, the legs are positioned underneath the center of mass of the animal. True False
false
The dermal plates (or osteoderms) in stegosaurs were articulated with the vertebrae - so we know where exactly along the back each plate came from. 1) True 2) False
false
The pectoral girdle is the set of bones that make up the hips. True False
false
What law governs dinosaur fossils found on federal land? 1) Nationalization of Fossils Act of 1897 2) Protection of Fossil Resources Act of 1913 3) Clean Dinosaurs Act of 1974 4) Paleontological Resources Preservation Act of 2009
4) Paleontological Resources Preservation Act of 2009
At the start of the Triassic, the continents were arranged into a supercontinent called ____________. 1) Laurasia 2) Rodinia 3) Columbia 4) Pangaea
4) Pangaea
Which Order do humans belong to? 1) Marsupialia 2) Ungulata 3) Proboscidea 4) Primates
4) Primates
What type of depositional environment formed the thick Navajo Sandstone in the Four Corners Region of the U.S.? 1) Delta 2) River channels and floodplains 3) Reefs 4) Sand dunes
4) Sand dunes
Which of the following is not an advantage of having a skeleton? 1) Serves as a storage site for useful nutrients like calcium and phosphorous 2) serves as a rigid framework to protect the internal organs 3) Serves as levers - when acted upon by muscles they help move the body 4) Serves as part of the nervous system
4) Serves as part of the nervous system
Interlocking tail vertebrae with zygapophyses are characteristic of which group of theropods? 1) Herrerasaurus 2) Ceolophysis 3) Neotheropodans 4) Tetanurans
4) Tetanurans
Which of the following is not a characteristic of monotremes like the duck-billed platypus? 1) Reproductive and excretive ducts open into the cloaca 2) They lay eggs 3) They have fur 4) They have feathers 5) They have mammary glands
4) They have feathers
Taking a gene out of one organism and inserting it into the DNA of a different organism is called: 1) Selection 2) Atavism Activation 3) Duplication 4) Transgenesis 5) Transliteration
4) Transgenesis
Which of the following is actually a dinosaur? 1) Woolly Mammoth 2) Plesiosaur 3) Dimetrodon 4) Tyrannosaurus Rex
4) Tyrannosaurus Rex
Head crests likely served all of the following functions except _______________. 1) Used in courtship and mate selection 2) Used to intimidate predators 3) Used to vocalize - communicate within species 4) Used as snorkels for the dominantly aquatic hadrosaurs 5) Used as a species indicator
4) Used as snorkels for the dominantly aquatic hadrosaurs
How old is the Earth? Question 1 options: 1) 4,600 years 2) 4.6 million years 3) 4.6 billion years 4) 4.6 trillion years
4.6 billion years
How many chromosomes do humans have? 1) 42 2) 44 3) 46 4) 48
46
Which phrase best describes most reef-building scleractinian corals? 1) Solitary, pelagic animals 2) Solitary, planktonic animals 3) Colonial, planktonic animals 4) Colonial, benthic plants 5) Colonial, benthic animals
5) Colonial, benthic animals
Which phylum do humans belong to? 1) Phylum Brachiopoda 2) Phylum Arthropoda 3) Phylum Mollusca 4) Phylum Echinodermata 5) Phylum Chordata
5) Phylum Chordata
Which of the following is not a characteristic shared by all sauropodomorphs? 1) Elongate femurs 2) Long necks 3) Small heads 4) Enlarge thumb with prominent claw 5) Reduction of skull fenestrae - making the skull more solid
5) Reduction of skull fenestrae - making the skull more solid
Which rock type is used to make road de-icers? Question 11 options: 1) Sandstone 2) Shale 3) Reef Limestones 4) Coal 5) Rock Salt
5) Rock Salt
Which group of fish are the most common modern fish, including animals like the Goldfish and Perch? 1) Sarcopytergians 2) Acanthodians 3) Placoderms 4) Agnathans 5) Teleosts
5) Teleosts
Which of the following has not been proposed as a hypothesis for the function of the large plates in stegosaurs? 1) Used to protect the individual from Predators 2) Used to intimidate Predators 3) Used as display during courtship of mates 4) Used in thermoregulation 5) Used as sails when the dinosaur swam
5) Used as sails when the dinosaur swam
Which of the following features is the adaptation that all angiosperms share, but other types of plants do not? 1) Roots 2) Vascular tissues 3) Photosynthesis 4) Spores 5) Naked Seeds and Cones 6) Flowers and fruit
6) Flowers and fruit
Which of the following is not a shared characteristic of theropod dinosaurs? 1) Clawed fingers and toes 2) Bipedal posture 3) Sharp, flattened, serrated teeth 4) Hollowed vertebrae and limb bones 5) Grasping hands and feet 6) Nonperforate Acetabulum
6) Nonperforate Acetabulum
What was the estimated number of species lost in the end-Permian extinction event in the marine realm? 1) 45% 2) 56% 3) 86% 4) 96%
96%
At Gubbio, Italy, the father-son team of Louis and Walter Alvarez discovered an anomaly in what chemical element? 1) Platinum Pt 2) Uranium U 3) Thorium Th 4) Iridium Ir 5) Germanium Ge 6) Lead Pb
4) Iridium Ir
Which of the following is a defining characteristic of the Hadrosaurids? 1) 1 less phalanx (finger bone) in the third finger on each hand 2) Deep dentary 3) Transversely widened premaxillary 4) Lacked thumbs
4) Lacked thumbs
Which of the following is not a defining characteristic of the Iguanodontids? 1) 1 less phalanx (finger bone) in the third finger on each hand 2) Deep dentary 3) Transversely widened premaxillary 4) Lacked thumbs
4) Lacked thumbs
What feature do tetrapods have four of? 1) Eyes 2) Fingers 3) Lungs 4) Limbs
4) Limbs
Which of the following continents was not part of Gondwana? 1) Africa 2) South America 3) Australia 4) North America 5) India
4) North America
Which of the following is not a characteristic of braided streams? 1) Usually ephemeral water flow - only flowing during part of the year 2) Coarse-grained deposits of gravel and sand 3) Bars break up channel into many smaller channels that wind around the bars 4) One channel with prominent cut banks and point bars around bends in the channel
4) One channel with prominent cut banks and point bars around bends in the channel
This fossil started out as wood. Which of these elements best characterizes the composition of the wood: a) Silicon b) Carbon c) Uranium d) Potassium e) Calcium
Carbon
A plant fossil made up of pure carbon was likely preserved with this style of preservation: a) Replacement - Permineralization b) Replacement - Petrifaction c) Recrystallization d) Carbonization and Compression e) External Mold f) Internal Mold
Carbonization and Compression
Which rock is a common marine rock found in Cretaceous age sediments (and even gives the Cretaceous its name)? Question 5 options: 1) Chert 2) Chalk 3) Sandstone 4) Coal 5) Limestone
Chalk
Which two men independently came up with the theory of evolution (select all that apply)? Charles Darwin Alfred Russel Wallace James Hutton Sir Isaac Newton Mary Anning Gregor Mendel
Charles Darwin Alfred Russel Wallace
This painting was created by _____________, a prolific artist who popularized ancient animals in his artwork. Charles R. Knight
Charles R. Knight
Hemipelagic sediments are composed of: 1) Calcareous plankton 2) Siliceous plankton 3) Clay
Clay
Which of the following rock types is deposited in swampy settings? Question 19 options: 1) Sandstone 2) Shale 3) Reef Limestones 4) Coal
Coal
Which feature is characteristic of eolian systems like dunes? 1) Varves 2) Cross bedding 3) Graded bedding 4) Ripple mar
Cross Bedding
Which of the following is not a characteristic that Dinosaurs (and all reptiles) exhibit? a) Mammary glands b) Amniotic egg c) Scaly skin d) Openings in the skull behind the eye socket for muscle attachment
Mammary glands
Which environment provides the best conditions for rapid burial and subsequent preservation of an organism? Question 6 options: 1) Marine systems - deeper water in continental shelves 2) Rivers 3) Deserts 4) Glacial environments
Marine systems
During which era, did the Dinosaurs live? Question 2 options: 1) Mesozoic 2) Cenozoic 3) Paleozoic 4) Triassic
Mesozoic
A morphological species definition uses the shape and size characteristics of fossils to define species. True or False
True
An explanation for an observation has to be testable. 1) True 2) False
True
Artificial selection is the controlled breeding of individuals in a species in order to propagate characteristics advantageous to humans in that species, such as enhanced food production or softer fibers. True False
True
Atavism Activation was responsible for stimulating the gene for teeth, producing teeth in chickens. True False
True
Bipeds walk using their hind limbs only. True False
True
Cementation is the process by which groundwaters precipitate dissolved ions in the pore space between sediment grains, binding them together. True False
True
Genes are made up of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). True False
True
The recessive gene is expressed in the F2 generation when an offspring receives copies of the recessive gene from both of its parents. True False
True
Which type of layered deposit is typical of lake sediments? 1) Turbidites 2) Diatoms 3) Varves 4) Outwash
Varves
By the end of the Triassic (Norian-Rhaetian stages), dinosaurs are known to have spread to all continents save for ______________. (select all that apply) a) Australia b) Asia c) Antarctica d) North America e) Europe f) South America g) Africa
a) Australia c) Antarctica
What characteristic showed a lot of diversity in the different finch species? a) Beak shape and size b) Feather color and tail feather size c) Eye position on head d) Overall body size
a) Beak shape and size
What are the dominant elements in apatite that can be analyzed by the handheld x-ray fluorescence device? [Select all that apply] a) Calcium b) Silicon c) Uranium d) Phosphorous e) Nitrogen f) Potassium
a) Calcium d) Phosphorous
What kind of DNA is most likely to be extracted from fossil insects embedded in amber? a) Insects like Mosquitos and Conifer trees b) Dinosaurs c) Early Mammals
a) Insects like Mosquitos and Conifer trees
Plesiosaurs are best described as ____________. a) Large aquatic reptiles that lived at the same time as the Dinosaurs b) Medium-sized, fin-backed reptiles that died out before the Dinosaurs evolved c) A type of bird d) A type of mammal e) Flying reptiles that lived at the same time as Dinosaurs
a) Large aquatic reptiles that lived at the same time as the Dinosaurs
Which two rocks are characteristic of deep ocean sediments (select all that apply)? a) Sandstone b) Chalk c) Chert d) Oolitic Limestone e) Rock Salt
chalk and chert
The ulna (one of the lower forelimb bones) is __________ to the scapula. a) Proximal (closer to) b) Proximal (further away from) c) Distal (closer to) d) Distal (further away from)
d) Distal (further away from)
Ornithischian dinosaurs are characterized by ___________. a) Elongate cervical (neck) vertebrae) b) Large hands with the thumb rotated towards the palm c) Metatarsal (toes) bones that overlap d) Crurotarsal ankles e) A predentary bone at the front of the jaw
e) A predentary bone at the front of the jaw
Pterosaurs are best described as ____________. a) Large aquatic reptiles that lived at the same time as the Dinosaurs b) Medium-sized, fin-backed reptiles that died out before the Dinosaurs evolved c) A type of bird d) A type of mammal e) Flying reptiles that lived at the same time as Dinosaurs
e) Flying reptiles that lived at the same time as Dinosaurs
Taphonomy includes all of the following except for ___________________. a) Mortality - study of how the organism died (illness, predation) b) Post-mortem decay and scavenging c) Fossilization and burial d) Exhumation e) Reproduction and breeding behavior
e) Reproduction and breeding behavior
A recurved tooth was not beneficial for theropod dinosaurs, as it allowed the dinosaur's prey to escape more readily than a non-recurved tooth. 1) True 2) False
false
Above the calcium carbonate compensation depth, calcium carbonate (calcite/aragonite) dissolves in the oceans. 1) True 2) False
false
Anapsids like turtles and tortoises were the group of reptiles that mammals evolved from. 1) True 2) False
false
Ankylosaurs are characterized by forelimbs longer than hind limbs, and a narrow rib cage. 1) True 2) False
false
Ankylosaurs are only found from deposits in western North America. 1) True 2) False
false
Ankylosaurs are only found in massive bone beds, suggesting that these animals lived in gigantic herds. 1) True 2) False
false
Asian Pachycephalosaurs are usually found in floodplain sediments adjacent to the upland environments where they lived. 1) True 2) False
false
Calcareous Oozes over time lithify to form the rock chert. 1) True 2) False
false
Carbon dating using Carbon -14 with a half-life of 5,730 years can be used to age date dinosaur remains. 1) True 2) False
false
Carbon has an atomic mass of 12.011. Is carbon heavy enough that the handheld x-ray fluorescence device able to analyze it? True False
false
Carnivorous dinosaurs have peg-shaped teeth. True False
false
Chert is made up of the skeletons of animals like corals and clams. True False
false
Diatoms were very important plankton that accumulated to form the massive chalk deposits of the Jurassic and Cretaceous. 1) True 2) False
false
Dinosaurs exhibit a crurotarsal ankle - the foot is parallel to the ground, while the leg makes an acute angle to the ground. True False
false
Dinosaurs exhibit high predator to prey ratios, which is suggestive that they were cold-blooded animals like crocodiles. 1) True 2) False
false
Does the spectra suggest that the wood exhibits the unaltered chemical composition of the original wood True False
false
During the Cretaceous, sea level was low due to the low rates of oceanic crust production and cold climatic conditions. 1) True 2) False
false
Gymosperms are characterized by seeds encased in fruit and elaborate structures designed to attract insects to aid in reproduction. 1) True 2) False
false
Human remains and artifacts are also governed under the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act of 2009. 1) True 2) False
false
In a meandering river, the point bar is characterized by higher energy flow and the erosion of the bank. : 1) True 2) False
false
In humans the sacral vertebrae have been fused together to form the coccyx. True False
false
Jack Horner first discovered fossil embryos and eggs of hadrosaurs at Egg Mountain in Argentina. 1) True 2) False
false
Marginocephalians are only found in rocks of Jurassic age. 1) True 2) False
false
Modern reconstructions of dinosaurs usually depict them as slow, stupid beasts only concerned with their next meals in films and books. 1) True 2) False
false
Monotremes like the duck-billed platypus and spiny echnida are the only mammals that give live birth, instead of laying eggs. 1) True 2) False
false
Nicolas Steno came up with the idea of cross-cutting relationships. 1) True 2) False
false
Ornithischian dinosaurs show a decrease in diversity as angiosperm diversity increases. 1) True 2) False
false
Ornithopod dinosaurs are characterized by extensive frills and horns on their heads. true or false
false
Oviraptors show behavioral evidence that they preyed upon other dinosaur's eggs. 1) True 2) False
false
Permineralization is a style of replacement that preserves just the gross anatomy of the organism - the overall shape, but not the fine structural details. True False
false
Permineralization is a style of replacement that preserves just the gross anatomy of the organism - the overall shape, but not the fine structural details. True or False
false
Plankton diversity stays constant across the K-T boundary - with no loss of species. 1) True 2) False
false
Playa lakes develop in humid environments and usually precipitate oolitic limestones. 1) True 2) False
false
Prosauropod is a formal scientific name, with well-described diagnostic characteristics shared by all members of the group. 1) True 2) False
false
Quartz developments cleavage when you press on it with your fingers. 1) True 2) False
false
Reptiles are classified based on the presence or absence of temporal fenestrae, openings in the hip structure. 1) True 2) False
false
Rudistid bivalves made it through the K-T extinction, and are still making reefs in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea. 1) True 2) False
false
Saurischian dinosaurs are characterized by small hands, with thumbs that point away from the palm of the hand. True False
false
Sauropodomorphs have huge heads relative to their body size. true or false
false
Sauropodomorphs have huge heads relative to their necks. 1) True 2) False
false
Sauropods commonly walked with their tails dragging on the ground. 1) True 2) False
false
Sauropods were carnivores. 1) True 2) False
false
Stegosaurs had a huge brain relative to body size and reduced olfactory bulbs. 1) True 2) False
false
Stegosaurs had both a tiny brain in the skull and a larger brain in a pocket within the sacrum. True or False
false
The Chicxulub Crater is visible at the Earth's surface and did not require geophysical methods to map out its distribution. 1) True 2) False
false
The Chicxulub Crater was discovered by the Alvarez's. 1) True 2) False
false
The Earth is 14 billion years old. 1) True 2) False
false
The earliest known Ceratopsians are found in central Asia (Mongolia and China) and were obligate quadrupeds. 1) True 2) False
false
The fossil record is complete - every organism that ever lived is preserved as a fossil. 1) True 2) False
false
The fossil record is complete - every organism that ever lived is preserved as a fossil. True False
false
The fossil record of birds is incredibly detailed due to the robust, solid nature of their bones. 1) True 2) False
false
The prosauropods are a well-defined clade that are derived from a single ancestor and are recognized as a formal taxonomic group. true or false
false
The shoulders in the vertebrate body plan are part of a structure called the pelvic girdle. true or false
false
The terminal Cretaceous (K-T) extinction was the worst extinction in Earth's history. 1) True 2) False
false
Thyreophoran dinosaurs include the commonly recognized groups of dinosaurs such as the duck-billed hadrosaurs and the horned and frilled ceratopsians. true or false
false
Triassic rocks, especially lower Triassic rocks are very common. 1) True 2) False
false
Vascular Plants do not exhibit tissues that move fluids through the plant's body. 1) True 2) False
false
Western North America consisted of 1 large continent that was accreted to the margin of North America during the early Triassic. 1) True 2) False
false
Woolly Mammoths are a type of dinosaur. True False
false
Which feature has become a more commonly identified characteristic in theropod dinosaurs due to the discovery of a lot more incredibly well preserved fossils in the last two decades? fur scaly skin feathers
feathers
Saurischian dinosaurs exhibit a reduced antorbital opening, while Ornithischians exhibit a much larger antorbital opening. True False
flase
Which of the following is not a type of trace fossil? a) Footprints b) Hip bones c) Predation scars like teeth-marks on bones d) Nests e) Egg shells
hip bones
How many fingers does an avetheropodan have on each hand?: 1) 2 2) 3 3) 4 4) 5
2) 3
Question 14 options: 1) Sandstone 2) Shale 3) Reef Limestones 4) Coal
4) Coal
The hand bones in the early chicken embryo are very different from the dinosaur Velociraptor. True False
False
The highest grade of coal is peat. True False
False
What type of plant is an early colonizer after disaster events wipe out the local flora? 1) Moss 2) Conifers 3) Oaks 4) Ferns 5) Grass
4) Ferns
Which grain size is associated with the highest energy environments? 1) Clay 2) Silt 3) Sand 4) Gravel
4) Gravel
Breccias are characterized by having ______________ grains in a finer matrix. Question 5 options: 1) Rounded 2) Angular
Angular
What mineral are vertebrate bones made of? Calcite (CaCO3) Quartz (SiO2) Pyrite (FeS2) Apatite (Ca5(PO4)3(Cl,F,OH))
Apatite (Ca5(PO4)3(Cl,F,OH))
A diastem is part of the Ceratopsian jaw - what phrase below best describes it? 1) A gap between the cheek teeth and the rhamphotheca 2) The joint between the rhamphotheca and the maxillary 3) Another term for the cheek teeth 4) A reduction in the antorbital fenestra size
1) A gap between the cheek teeth and the rhamphotheca
The extensive continental interior of Pangaea is interpreted to have been __________. 1) A massive desert 2) A massive rainforest 3) A series of massive lakes, rivers and swamps 4) A polar wasteland
1) A massive desert
The coronoid process in hadrosaurs serves this function: 1) Additional space for muscles to attach, allowing greater grinding force of jaws 2) Part of the nasal system that allows sound to resonate in the hadrosaur vocal box 3) Part of the olfactory system - allowed hadrosaurs an unparalleled sense of smell 4) Part of the support structure for the head crests
1) Additional space for muscles to attach, allowing greater grinding force of jaws
Which of the following groups does not exhibit an amniotic egg (or had an ancestor that laid amniotic eggs)? 1) Amphibians 2) Reptiles 3) Birds 4) Mammals
1) Amphibians
The hoatzin of South America has retained these primitive characteristics. 1) Beak with teeth and wing claws in juveniles 2) A non-pygostyle tail 3) A reduced sternum lacking a keel 4) A furcular divided into two smaller bones - one on each side of the sternum
1) Beak with teeth and wing claws in juveniles
What is the age of the oldest known fossil chordate, Pikaia gracilens? 1) Cambrian 2) Silurian 3) Triassic 4) Paleogene
1) Cambrian
The earliest confirmed dinosaur skeletal remains are from the ___________ stage. 1) Carnian 2) Norian 3) Rhaetian 4) Aptian
1) Carnian
Of the following people, who invented the most commonly used form of taxonomy? 1) Carolus Linnaeus 2) Charles Darwin 3) Alfred Russel Wallace 4) Albert Einstein 5) Sir Isaac Newton 6) James Hutton
1) Carolus Linnaeus
Which class of animals do humans belong to? 1) Class Mammali 2) Class Reptilia 3) Class Aves 4) Class Amphibia 5) Class Osteoichthyes
1) Class Mammali
Which of the following is the smallest grain size in siliciclastic rocks? 1) Clay 2) Silt 3) Sand 4) Gravel
1) Clay
Which of the following is the largest Titanosaur currently known? 1) Dreadnoughtus 2) Brachiosaurus 3) Plateosaurus 4) Apatosaurus
1) Dreadnoughtus
In a river system, the cut bank is where: 1) Erosion occurs along the outer margin of the bend 2) Deposition occurs along the outer margin of the bend 3) Erosion occurs along the inner margin of the bend 4) Deposition occurs along the inner margin of the bend
1) Erosion occurs along the outer margin of the bend
Several lineages of sauropods show a trend towards __________________. 1) External nares (nostrils) present towards the top of the skull 2) More delicate leg bones 3) More solid vertebrae in the neck and back 4) Reduction of number of toes on both the forelimbs and hind limbs
1) External nares (nostrils) present towards the top of the skull
What type of feeding behavior do corals exhibit? 1) Filter-feeding 2) Piscivory 3) Insectivory 4) Carnivory 5) Herbivory
1) Filter-feeding
Which of the following are derived characteristics that all mammals share? 1) Fur and mammary glands 2) Scaley skin and sprawling posture 3) Feathers and upright posture 4) Water-permeable skin and gelatinous eggs
1) Fur and mammary glands
Mary Anning is recognized as the first person to have discovered and described a fossil of a ___________. 1) Ichthyosaur 2) Dinosaur 3) Shark 4) Bird
1) Ichthyosaur
Which type of marine reptile was fully adapted for life in the water - including giving live birth to their young? 1) Ichthyosaurs 2) Plesiosaurs 3) Mosasaurs 4) Dinosaurs
1) Ichthyosaurs
In humans, the small teeth at the very front of the jaw are called ___________. 1) Incisors 2) Canines 3) Premolars 4) Molars
1) Incisors
The Solite Quarry mines materials from a Triassic Rift Valley lake - which type of animal was the most abundant animal found at the Quarry? 1) Insects 2) Bivalves like clams 3) Fish 4) Snails
1) Insects
Why is Massospondylus special? 1) It is one of the few "prosauropods" species with known fossil eggs with embryos* 2) It is one of the carnivorous "prosauropods" 3) It is near the base of the sauropodomorpha and shares characteristics with early Theropods 4) It is found worldwide during the Late Triassic
1) It is one of the few "prosauropods" species with known fossil eggs with embryos*
Of the following, which is the largest grouping of species? 1) Kingdom 2) Phylum 3) Class 4) Order 5) Family 6) Genus
1) Kingdom
What is the arbitrary cut-off age that the remains must be older than to be considered a fossil? a) 1,000 years old b) 10,000 years old c) 100,000 years old d) 1,000,000 years old
10,000 years
What is the main characteristic that sets the class Aves apart from all other Avialaens? 1) Lack of teeth in beak 2) Presence of teeth in beak 3) A series of caudal vertebrae making up the tail 4) A pelvic girdle with the pubis pointing towards the front of the body
1) Lack of teeth in beak
Which group of theropods are most closely related to the Avialaens? 1) Maniraptorans 2) Carosaurs 3) Spinosaurs 4) Tyrannosaurs
1) Maniraptorans
The skeleton of Tarbosaurus bataar seized by the U.S. government was illegally removed from this county? 1) Mongolia 2) People's Republic of China 3) North Korea 4) Canada
1) Mongolia
By the end of the Permian this supercontinent had formed through plate collisions? 1) Pangaea 2) Columbia 3) Nuna 4) Gondwanaland 5) Rodinia
1) Pangaea
Which of the following is a trait shared by all Neotheropodans? 1) Presence of a furcular - a bone formed from the fusion of the 2 clavicles 2) Presence of three-fingered hands 3) Presence of an air sac system in the vertebrae 4) Presence of an enlarged brain
1) Presence of a furcular - a bone formed from the fusion of the 2 clavicles
Which of the following is a diagnostic characteristic of the Ceratopsia? 1) Presence of a rostral bone 2) Presence of a forward pointing pubis bone 3) Presence of three digits on hand 4) Osteoderms arranged as plates running down the back of the animal
1) Presence of a rostral bone
What is the distinguishing characteristic that all Thyreophorans share? 1) Presence of paired rows of osteoderms 2) A shelf of bone behind the head 3) A Saurischian-style hip structure 4) Teeth organized into a tooth battery
1) Presence of paired rows of osteoderms
This early ceratopsian has incredibly well-preserved individuals that exhibit tail feathers made up of monofilamentous feathers. 1) Psittacosaurus 2) Protoceratops 3) Triceratops 4) Pentaceratops 5) Pachycephalosaurus
1) Psittacosaurus
Ornithischians at the front of their jaws have a predentary bone and __________________. 1) Rhamphotheca 2) Denticles 3) Canines 4) Osteoderms
1) Rhamphotheca
The Jurassic Navajo Sandstone was deposited in what kind of depositional environment? 1) Sand dunes 2) Large salt lakes 3) Reefs 4) Alluvial fans
1) Sand dunes
Which of the following is not a characteristic of amphibians and early tetrapods? 1) Scaly skin 2) Water-permeable egg shells 3) Limb structure with similar bones to their sarcopytergian ancestors
1) Scaly skin
What type of rock hosts the majority of the Earth's fossils? 1) Sedimentary 2) Igneous 3) Metamorphic
1) Sedimentary
Thyreophorans exhibit forelimbs _________ the hind limbs. 1) Shorter than 2) Longer than 3) Of the same length as
1) Shorter than
All of the major groups of flying vertebrates exhibit a rigid _______ with a lot of surface area for muscle attachment. 1) Sternum 2) Rib cage 3) Humerus 4) Femur
1) Sternum
A cursorial origin of flight suggests ______________. 1) That the animal developed flight from a combination of faster running and leaping 2) That the animal developed flight from climbing up into trees and then gliding from tree to tree 3) That the animal developed flight from an earlier aquatic stage, where flapping its limbs allowed it to swim faster
1) That the animal developed flight from a combination of faster running and leaping
Horned and large frilled ceratopsians likely migrated to western North America through ______. 1) The Bering Sea Strait 2) Swimming from island to island in the Pacific - eventually reaching Central America 3) Swimming the proto-Atlantic from England to the east coast of the U.S. 4) They flew across the Pacific
1) The Bering Sea Strait
Solnhofen Quarry in Germany is special because _________________. 1) The fossils of Jurassic animals including archaeopteryx are exceptionally well-preserved at this site. 2) The site is the only place where complete Tyrannosaur skeletons have been collected. 3) The site preserves fossils of the fish-eating Spinosaurus. 4) The site preserves a spectacular collection of fossil conifers from the Late Cretaceous.
1) The fossils of Jurassic animals including archaeopteryx are exceptionally well-preserved at this site.
Which group of reptiles dominated the terrestrial environments during the Early Triassic? 1) Therapsids (mammal-like reptiles) 2) Dinosaurs 3) Crocodiles and other archosaurs 4) Tortoises
1) Therapsids (mammal-like reptiles)
What happened to the fossils of the Spinosaur found during the German-Egyptian expeditions of 1910-1911? 1) They were destroyed in World War II 2) They were sold and now are privately held in a collector's collection 3) They were lost during the moving of the Munich fossil collection into a new facility 4) They were destroyed by Ernst Stromer, so that no one else could study them
1) They were destroyed in World War II
The presence of iridium by itself is not good enough to tell us that an impact occurred, because Iridium is also found enriched in the mantle - so volcanic outpourings can bring more Iridium to the surface. 1) True 2) False
1) True
The wing membrane in pterosaurs is supported by elongate digit IV and the pteroid bone. 1) True 2) False
1) True
Which group of Osteoichthyean fish are the ancestors of the tetrapods? 1) Sarcopytergians 2) Acanthodians 3) Placoderms 4) Agnathans 5) Teleosts
1)Sarcopytergians
Place the following materials in order of their grain size from smallest to largest. Gravel Silt Sand Clay
1. Clay 2. Silt 3. Sand 4. Gravel
Hesperornis is a fossil Ornithuraen found in late Cretaceous age rocks in the Western U.S. What type of environment did they live in? 1) In forests 2) Along shorelines of lakes and shallow seas 3) On volcanoes 4) In plains
2) Along shorelines of lakes and shallow seas
Turning on the gene for teeth in a chicken is an example of what biological modification tool? 1) Selection 2) Atavism Activation 3) Duplication 4) Transgenesis 5) Transliteration
2) Atavism Activation
Which of the following groups survived the K-T extinction event? 1) Dinosaurs 2) Birds 3) Ammonoids 4) Mosasaurs
2) Birds
A shale is dominated by this grain size. 1) Clay 2) Sand 3) Gravel
2) Clay
Which principle would suggest that Fault E is younger than Layer A? 1) Superposition 2) Cross-cutting Relationships 3) Principle of Inclusions 4) Biostratigraphy
2) Cross-cutting Relationships
Which type of plankton is on modern oceans responsible for "red tides" and can be bioluminescent? 1) Diatoms 2) Dinoflagellates 3) Coccolithophores 4) Radiolarians
2) Dinoflagellates
Pterosaur bones were solid bone. 1) True 2) False
2) False
Mary Schweitzer isolated heme from dinosaur bones. This compound is a structural element of what compound transfers oxygen around our bodies? 1) Hematite 2) Hemoglobin 3) Heptane
2) Hemoglobin
Sauropodomorphs and Theropods are linked together on the basis of their ______________. 1) Tail structure and presence of ossified tendons 2) Hip structure with pubis bones that point towards the front of the body 3) Hip structure with pubis bones that point away from the front of the body and are aligned with the ischium 4) Reduced number of digits on both the hands and feet
2) Hip structure with pubis bones that point towards the front of the body
What adaptation for flight do both pterosaurs and birds share? 1) A wing supported by all five digits of the hand 2) Hollow bones 3) Thickened pelvic muscles for flapping the wings 4) A quadrupedal ancestor
2) Hollow bones
Linnaean taxonomy relies on the instinct and experience of the researcher to determine relationships between organisms. Later techniques have quantified this process. Phylogenetics and Cladistics are the two techniques most popular today. What piece of information is used in Phylogenetics, but not cladistics? 1) Only relies on modern organisms - ignores the fossil record entirely 2) Includes constraints of the timing of divergence of species from geology (fossil occurrences) and genetics (molecular clock dates) 3) A matrix of morphological characteristics are used to define relationships between organisms
2) Includes constraints of the timing of divergence of species from geology (fossil occurrences) and genetics (molecular clock dates)
In Michigan, the Mesozoic rocks are from which period? 1) Triassic 2) Jurassic 3) Cretaceous
2) Jurassic
Which of the following books written by Michael Crichton popularized dinosaurs while using more scientifically realistic dinosaurs? 1) Raptor Red 2) Jurassic Park 3) The Trilobite Soliloquies 4) Swallowed by an Earthquake
2) Jurassic Park
The Lost World by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is a representative of which major style of dinosaur fiction in the early twentieth century? 1) Hollow Earth Stories 2) Modern Dinosaurs in isolated parts of the world 3) Children's fiction 4) Recreated/Resurrected dinosaurs let loose to terrorize cities
2) Modern Dinosaurs in isolated parts of the world
Mosses and Hornwarts are a type of _____________. 1) Green Algae 2) Non-vascular Plant 3) Vascular Plant
2) Non-vascular Plant
Which hemisphere of the Earth is where all known fossils of the Marginocephalia come from? 1) Southern Hemisphere 2) Northern Hemisphere
2) Northern Hemisphere
Examine the hip structure in the image of the dinosaur Stegosaurus. It has a pubis and ischium that both point towards the posterior of the animal. Which basic group of dinosaur is this hip structure diagnostic of? 1) Saurischian Dinosaurs 2) Ornithischian Dinosaurs
2) Ornithischian Dinosaurs
The incus, malleus and stapes started out as part of the ____________ in our synapsid ancestors. 1) Parts of the pelvic girdle 2) Parts of the lower jaw 3) Parts of the upper jaw 4) Extra vertebrae
2) Parts of the lower jaw
Which type of reptiles were long-necked animals that lived in the oceans most of the time, but laid their eggs on land? 1) Ichthyosaurs 2) Plesiosaurs 3) Mosasaurs 4) Dinosaurs
2) Plesiosaurs
What is the bone at the front of the lower jaw in an Ornithischian Dinosaur called? 1) Prefrontal bone 2) Predentary bone 3) Maxilla 4) Perforate Acetabulum
2) Predentary bone
Which of the following is not one of Steno's principles? 1) Principle of Superposition 2) Principle of Faunal Succession 3) Principle of Original Horizontality 4) Principle of Lateral Continuity
2) Principle of Faunal Succession
What type of basins develop on the east coast of North America during the Triassic and Jurassic? 1) Foreland Basins 2) Rift Valleys 3) Abyssal Plains 4) Basins in impact craters
2) Rift Valleys
Many important oil reservoirs in the Middle East are hosted in limestones made from reefs composed of ______________. 1) Scleractinian corals 2) Rudistid bivalves 3) Worm tubes 4) Oysters
2) Rudistid bivalves
Saturnalia was a middle Triassic dinosaur from Brazil that had skeletal features that suggested that they were facultative quadrupeds with a saurischian-style hip structure. What group has it been assigned to? 1) Theropods 2) Sauropodomorpha 3) Ornithischian dinosaurs
2) Sauropodomorpha
Dinosaurs cared for their young is an example of a ______________? 1) Scientific law 2) Scientific hypothesis 3) Scientific principle
2) Scientific hypothesis
The statement "Aspirin relieves headaches" is a _________________. 1) Fact 2) Scientific hypothesis 3) Scientific principle
2) Scientific hypothesis
The oldest known fossil plants from the Silurian are characterized by _____________. 1) Massive root structures and a vascular system 2) Small roots and no vascular system 3) Reproduction via seeds 4) Were motile - able to move around
2) Small roots and no vascular system
Mesozoic mammals are classified based on the shape, size and number of ___________. 1) Toes 2) Teeth 3) Ribs 4) Bones in the skull
2) Teeth
A digitigrade stance is where the animal walks with their weight supported on _____________. 1) The long length of the toe bones 2) The tips of the toes bones 3) On the heel of the foot (ankle bones)
2) The tips of the toes bones
During the Cretaceous, sea level was _____________. 1) Very low 2) Very high
2) Very high
How many different groups of vertebrates have independently developed flight? 1) 1 2) 2 3) 3 4) 4
3
What feature do dinosaurs and other diapsid reptiles share? 1) 1 temporal fenestra on each side of the skull 2) 1 antorbital fenestra on each side of the skull 3) 2 temporal fenestrae on each side of the skull 4) 0 temporal fenestra on each side of the skull
3) 2 temporal fenestrae on each side of the skull
Element X decays over time to Element Y. The half-live of this decay reaction is 500,000 years. A sample of rock, was found that had experienced four half-lives of Element X - How old is that sample? 1) 62,500 years 2) 500,000 years 3) 2,000,000 years 4) 200,000,000 years
3) 2,000,000 years
How many times has flight developed independently in the vertebrates? 1) 1 2) 2 3) 3 4) 4
3) 3
A geologist collects a sample of volcanic ash, and decides to age date the rock using the Z radiometric system. Element Z has a half-life of 2 billion years. How old is a sample that has experienced 3 half-lives of element Z? 1) 250 million years old 2) 2 billion years old 3) 6 billion years old
3) 6 billion years old
The terminal Permian Extinction wiped out ________% of tetrapods, leaving niches to be exploited by evolution of new reptiles in the Triassic. 1) 30% 2) 50% 3) 70% 4) 90%
3) 70%
A geologist has collected a sample or a rock that she would like to age date with the Y radiometric system. Parent isotope Y has a half-life of 4,000,000 years. How old is the sample, if it has experienced two half-lives? 1) 1,000,000 years 2) 4,000,000 years 3) 8,000,000 years 4) 16,000,000 years
3) 8,000,000 years
Pikaia gracilens and Homo sapiens share what anatomical feature? 1) A rugose skin 2) A perforate acetabulum 3) A notochord 4) A pair of legs
3) A notochord
In Pterosaurs the flight surface of the wings are supported by the arm bones and __________. 1) Elongate wrist bones 2) All five digits of the hand 3) An elongate fourth digit on the hand 4) The sternum
3) An elongate fourth digit on the hand
Leefructus is the earliest known __________________. 1) Sphenopsid 2) Gymnosperm 3) Angiosperm
3) Angiosperm
Which set of Mountains formed from the collision of South America and Africa with North America? 1) Coastal Range 2) Cascades 3) Appalachian-Ouachita Mountains 4) Andes-Rockies Mountains
3) Appalachian-Ouachita Mountains
What kind of environment characterized the four corners region of North America during the Permian-Triassic? 1) Tropical marine - lots of reefs 2) Tropical rainforest - jungles of conifers 3) Arid Desert - lots of sand dunes 4) Polar latitudes - lots of glacial ice
3) Arid Desert - lots of sand dunes
Ornithischians have a jaw joint ___________ the tooth row. 1) Above 2) Level with 3) Below
3) Below
Which specialized behavior did some basal ornithopods exhibit? 1) Predation on other dinosaurs 2) Elaborate crests used in courtship displays 3) Burrowing of nests for young 4) Swimming in freshwater lakes
3) Burrowing of nests for young
After death, coccolithophorids accumulate to form this type of rock: 1) Oolitic Limestone 2) Chert 3) Chalk 4) Sandstone 5) Granite
3) Chalk
Which of the following are derived characteristics that all birds share? 1) Fur and mammary glands 2) Scaley skin and sprawling posture 3) Feathers and upright posture 4) Water-permeable skin and gelatinous eggs
3) Feathers and upright posture
Echinoderms like the star fish are characterized by ____________ symmetry. 1) Bilateral 2) Three-fold 3) Five-fold 4) Six-fold
3) Five-fold
What is a coprolite? 1) Fossilized eggshell 2) Fossilized nest 3) Fossilized feces 4) Fossilized feather impressions
3) Fossilized feces
Medullary tissue associated with dinosaur bones tells us the ____________ of a dinosaur. 1) Age 2) Diet 3) Gender
3) Gender
What is the proper species name for humans? 1) Sapiens 2) Homo sapiens 3) Homo sapiens 4) Sapiens
3) Homo sapiens (italicized!)
What feature links the Pachycephalosaurs and Ceratopsians together to form the larger clade, Marginocephalia? 1) Pubis bone that points towards the front of the body 2) Well-developed tooth battery and rostral bone in jaw 3) Monofilamentous feathers on the tail and body 4) Bony ridge or shelf that extends from the back of the skull
4) Bony ridge or shelf that extends from the back of the skull
A facultative biped exhibits this style of behavior: 1) It always walks on all 4 limbs 2) It always walks with just the hind limbs 3) It walks most of the time on all 4 limbs, but can rear up on the hind limbs for short periods of time 4) It walks most of the time on the hind limbs, but can use all 4 limbs for short periods of time
3) It walks most of the time on all 4 limbs, but can rear up on the hind limbs for short periods of time
Which group of dinosaurs had well-developed nasal systems in their crests that were likely used for vocalization? 1) Nodosaurs 2) Ceratopsians 3) Lambeosaurine hadrosaurs 4) Tyrannosaurs
3) Lambeosaurine hadrosaurs
Which of the following is not a basic type of paleontology? 1) Commercial Paleontology 2) Academic Paleontology 3) Legal Paleontology 4) Amateur Paleontology
3) Legal Paleontology
Lagoons are quiet environments in tropical shelves. What type of sediment would you expect in this environment? 1) Lots of coral fragments 2) Sand 3) Lime mud 4) Cobbles of metamorphic rocks
3) Lime mud
Texture in Clastic Sedimentary rocks is defined by grain size, grain sorting and grain rounding. If you find a rock specimen with rounded (spherical) grains, what does that mean with regard to transport conditions? 1) Absolutely Nothing 2) Short Period of Transport 3) Long Period of Transport
3) Long Period of Transport
The Phanerozoic eon is divided into three eras, the Paleozoic, the ________________, and the Cenozoic. 1) Silurian 2) Precambrian 3) Mesozoic 4) Quaternary
3) Mesozoic
What social behavior is well described from multi-individual assemblages from central Asia? 1) Courtship and mate selection 2) Predation on ceratopsians 3) Nesting and parental care
3) Nesting and parental care
Which of the following organisms is the closest modern relative of ammonoids? 1) Star fish 2) Humans 3) Octopus 4) Corals
3) Octopus
Which of the following is a chemical sediment? 1) Coquina 2) Sandstone 3) Oolitic Limestone 4) Granite
3) Oolitic Limestone
What feature is prominent in enhancing the ornithopod's tail's function as a counterbalance? 1) Narrow hip structure 2) Smaller head and neck 3) Ossified tendons 4) Reduced neural arches on vertebrae
3) Ossified tendons
Which of the following gases is a waste product of photosynthesis? 1) Carbon dioxide 2) Methane 3) Oxygen 4) Nitrogen
3) Oxygen
Which of the following units represents the smallest amount of geologic time? 1) Supereon 2) Eon 3) Period
3) Period
Which major feature differentiates Nodosaurids from their close relatives the Akylosaurids? 1) Lack of osteoderms 2) Smaller scapulas 3) Presence of an acromial process 4) Presence of a predentary with a rhamphotheca
3) Presence of an acromial process
Which of the following rock types is deposited in shallow, tropical environments? Question 10 options: 1) Sandstone 2) Shale 3) Reef Limestones 4) Coal
3) Reef Limestones
What kind of special Jurassic rock is economically important as a reservoir for hydrocarbons in the Gulf of Mexico region? 1) Coal 2) Sandstone 3) Salt 4) Granite 5) Basalt
3) Salt
Type of rock the forms from accumulations of weathered unconsolidated material and skeletal remains of organisms? 1) Igneous 2) Metamorphic 3) Sedimentary
3) Sedimentary
The large flat teeth of placodonts were used to eat _____________. 1) Fish 2) Seaweed 3) Shelled animals 4) Meat
3) Shelled animals
Ankylosaurs have a very well developed sense of __________ due to the enlargement of the __________ portion of the brain. 1) Sight, optical 2) Touch, frontal lobe 3) Smell, olfactory bulbs 4) Hearing, auditory canals
3) Smell, olfactory bulbs
Which type of trace fossil suggests the presence of oxygen-producing bacteria in the fossil record? 1) Ripple marks 2) Foot prints 3) Stromatolites 4) Coprolites
3) Stromatolites
Agnathan fish are fundamentally different from other fish, because they are _________. 1) The only fish with a skeleton made up of apatite 2) The only fish with a skeleton made up of cartilage 3) The only fish with no jaws 4) The only fish with jaws
3) The only fish with no jaws
Isotopes of an element have ___________________. 1) The same number of electrons and a different number of protons 2) The same number of protons and a different number of electrons 3) The same number of protons and a different number of neutrons 4) The same number of neutrons and a different number of protons
3) The same number of protons and a different number of neutrons
Where are the massive volcanic basaltic rocks known as the Deccan traps located? 1) Western Washington, United States 2) Alberta, Canada 3) Western India 4) Northern Germany
3) Western India
Which feature is not characteristic of birds? 1) A furcular or wishbones 2) A strongly keeled wishbone for attachment of the pectoral muscles 3) A pygostyle - a reduced, fused tailbone 4) A Wing supported by all five digits of the hand
4) A Wing supported by all five digits of the hand
Which of the following groups did not evolve in the Paleozoic? 1) Gymnosperms like Conifers 2) Sphenopsids like horse tails 3) Ferns 4) Angiosperms
4) Angiosperms
The earliest confirmed dinosaur skeletal remains are from _____________. 1) India 2) Germany 3) The United States 4) Argentina
4) Argentina
What type of sedimentary rock is our main line of evidence for the oxygenation of the Precambrian world? 1) Limestone 2) Sandstone 3) Rock Salt 4) Banded Iron Formation 5) Chert
4) Banded Iron Formation
Which of the following is not a function of feathers in birds? 1) Flight - make up flight surface on wings 2) Insulation 3) Display - for mate selection and species identification 4) Sensory input - touch 5) Absorb oxygen from air, assisting the bird in breathing
Absorb oxygen from air, assisting the bird in breathing
A turbidite is a ____________. {Note this problem needs to have ordered response options labeled with a through e} 1) Layer of sediment deposited from a turbidity current 2) Layer that exhibits graded bedding 3) Layer that exhibits terrestrial fossils 4) Both a and b 5) Both b and c
Both a and b
A hypothesis is a testable explanation for an observation. 1) True 2) False
True
All Dinosaurs were huge semiaquatic reptiles. True False
False
All landforms formed from longshore currents run perpendicular to the shoreline. 1) True 2) False
False
Biologists use trinomial nomenclature to name a new species - it consists of the family, genus, and species identifier. True or Flase
False
Birds are derived from Ornithischian ancestors. 1) True 2) False
False
Darwin's theory included genetics - the biological storage of data that expresses for different genes and the mechanism for these genes to be passed onto offspring. True False
False
Deltas are characterized by tributary streams that gather water into one channel. 1) True 2) False
False
Dinosaurs had hair. True False
False
Jack Horner and colleagues have actually extracted DNA from a dinosaur. 1) True 2) False
False
Michigan is known for its fossil dinosaurs. 1) True 2) False
False
Outwash is the sediment deposited from melting (stagnant) ice at the front of the glacier and consists of material of all grain sizes. 1) True 2) False
False
Paleontologists are able to use a biological definition of species. 1) True 2) False
False
Rock gypsum forms through the accumulation of skeletal grains in a shallow lake environment. True False
False
Sauropodomorphs are a type of Ornithischian Dinosaur. 1) True 2) False
False
Sediments undergo volumetric expansion when more sediment is laid on top of them. True False
False
Sunlight penetrates even to the deepest water depths - so photosynthesis is active on the abyssal plains. 1) True 2) False
False
Clastic sedimentary rocks are defined on the basis of __________________. 1) Composition 2) Grain size 3) Presence of fossils 4) Presence of sedimentary structures
Grain Size
What is the proper evolutionary sequence of landforms in an erosional coastline? 1) Headland, sea stack, arch, sea cave 2) Headland, arch, sea cave, sea stack 3) Headland, sea cave, arch, sea stack 4) Headland, sea cave, sea stack, arch
Head land sea cave arch sea stack
What type of unconformity is present between weathered crystalline rocks (igneous and metamorphic) and sedimentary rocks? 1) Disconformity 2) Paraconformity 3) Nonconformity 4) Angular Unconformity 5) Conformity
Nonconformity
What factor does Michael Greshko state was the reason the nodosaur in the National Geographic article cause the very fine preservation of the fossil? a) Rapid burial in marine environment b) Exposure in a terrestrial environment to weathering c) A high degree of scavenging in the environment - tyrannosaur saliva cemented the body into a fossil
Rapid burial in marine environment
Brachiopod 2 has small patches of pyrite on the shell, but the dominant chemical element present in the spectra is Calcium! Based on the age of the fossil and the dominance of Calcium. What style of preservation has preserved Brachiopod 2? Recrystallization Replacement - Petrifaction Replacement - Permineralization Carbonization Unaltered hard parts
Recrystallization
Examine the spectra for Brachiopod 1, its shell is dominated by iron and sulfur with a smaller amount of calcium. Iron and Sulfur suggest the presence of a brassy metallic mineral called Pyrite (or more colloquially fool's gold). What style of preservation would preserve the fine details of the shell, including ornamentation but change the composition of the shell? a) Recrystallization b) Replacement - Petrifaction c) Replacement - Permineralization d) Carbonization e) Unaltered hard parts
Replacement - Permineralization
How is the fossil preserved? Note that the gross anatomy is preserved in this sample, but the finer details are not. Unaltered soft parts Recrystallization Replacement - Petrifaction External Mold
Replacement - Petrifaction
What kind of rock forms in a meandering stream channel? 1) Reef Limestone 2) Rock Salt 3) Sandstone 4) Rock Gypsum
Sandstone
Which of the following landforms is not characteristic of depositional coastlines? Question 1 options: 1) Sea Caves 2) Beaches 3) Spits 4) Tombolos
Sea Caves
What specialized characteristics do Ankylosaurids exhibit? (select all that apply) Acromial process Squamosal horns Tail club Abundant large neck spines Predentary bone
Squamosal horns Tail club
Which of the following is a sub-group within the Saurischian dinosaurs? a) Theropods b) Thyreophorans c) Marginocephalians d) Ornithopods
Theropods
A coquina consists of cemented skeletal grains that are heavily broken and abraded. True False
True
Which of the following factors influences whether an organism will become a fossil? a) Predation b) Rapid burial in marine environment c) Exposure in a terrestrial environment to weathering d) Only herbivores get preserved in the fossil record - carnivores are out of luck
b) Rapid burial in marine environment
Sperm and egg cells are gametes. What is special about gametes? a)They are the only cells in the body that are diploid - bearing two copies of each chromosome. b) They are the only cells in the body that are haploid - bearing just 1 copy of each chromosome.
b) They are the only cells in the body that are haploid - bearing just 1 copy of each chromosome.
Of the following features, which one is shared by all dinosaurs? a) An elongate, narrow mandible b) A humerus lacking a deltopectoral crest c) A perforate acetabulum d) fur
c) A perforate acetabulum
Alfred Russel Wallace mapped the distribution of different animals in the Indonesian Archipelago. He showed that the animals were ___________. a) The same on both sides of the deepwater Lombok Strait with a dominantly Southeast Asian faunal community. b) The same on both sides of the deepwater Lombok Strait with a dominantly Australian Faunal Community. c) Distinctively different faunal communities on either side of the Lombok Strait - with the northwestern islands dominated by southeast Asian faunas and southeastern islands dominated by Australian faunas. d) Distinctively different faunal communities on either side of the Lombok Strait - with the northwestern islands dominated by southeast Asian faunas and southeastern islands dominated by African faunas.
c) Distinctively different faunal communities on either side of the Lombok Strait - with the northwestern islands dominated by southeast Asian faunas and southeastern islands dominated by Australian faunas.
Examine the picture with this question. The skeleton exhibits a hip structure with the ischium and pubis running parallel to each other. Which group of animals does it belong to? a) Archosaurs b) Saurischians c) Ornithischians d) Mammals
c) Ornithischians
Which of the following is not a criteria used to define a fossil? a) Remains of hard parts like teeth, shells, and bones b) Remains of soft parts like feathers, fur, and flesh c) Pottery shards, stone axes and grinding stones d) Evidence of behavior like egg shells, nests, and footprints e) At least 10,000 years old
c) Pottery shards, stone axes and grinding stones
Which set of islands were incredibly influential in Darwin's biological research? a) Hawaii b) Indonesia c) The Galapagos Islands d) The Canary Islands e) Greenland
c) The Galapagos Islands
What characteristic do all tetrapods share? a) They have a skull with two temporal fenestrae. b) They have an amniotic egg - a water impermeable shelled egg. c) They have four limbs d) They have blood based on hemocyanin. e) They are all photosynthetic.
c) They have four limbs
In what time period, did the Dinosaurs originate? a) Silurian b) Permian c) Triassic d) Jurassic e) Cretaceous f) Paleogene
c) Triassic
Of the following, which term best describes the posture of a dinosaur? a) Sprawling posture b) Splayed out like fins c) Upright posture
c) Upright posture
A cast is a three-dimensional replica of the body formed when a mold fills with sediment. It does not preserve the original body of the animal. True False
true
A dinosaur's stride is measured as the distance between the same point in two consecutive steps of the same foot. 1) True 2) False
true
Amber preserves many Mesozoic fossil insects - where the insect became encased in tree sap that hardened. 1) True 2) False
true
An example of a homology are your fingers and the bones supporting the wings of a bat. True False
true
Archaeopteryx differs from modern birds by having an elongate tail composed of a series of caudal vertebrae. 1) True 2) False
true
Birds nearly died out at the end of the Cretaceous - only three groups survived the extinction event. 1) True 2) False
true
Bones provide Paleontologists with a lot of information for reconstructing what the dinosaur looked like in life - such as amount of musculature and overall body shape. True False
true
Bones provide Paleontologists with a lot of information for reconstructing what the dinosaur looked like in life - such as amount of musculature and overall body shape. true or false
true
Carnosaurs include some of the largest land-dwelling carnivores in Earth history - including Carcharodontosaurus and Gigantosaurus. 1) True 2) False
true
Ceratopsians replaced their worn cheek teeth constantly. 1) True 2) False
true
Coelurosaurs are a very diverse group of theropod dinosaurs that includes Tyrannosaurs and hummingbirds. 1) True 2) False
true
Cretaceous units like the Mancos Shale represent 1.) The flooding of the continental interior due to sea level drop, and 2.) The lowering of the land surface as a response to the collisions happening further west. 1) True 2) False
true
Dinosaur National Monument is an American park focused on highlighting paleontological research. true or false
true
Dinosaur postage stamps often showcase dinosaurs found in the country, however it is also common that the dinosaur pictured has not been found in the country issuing the stamps. 1) True 2) False
true
Early tetrapods like Tiktaalik and Ichthyostega exhibit more massive (or robust) pectoral and pelvic girdles than the sarcopytergian fish. 1) True 2) False
true
Evolutionary convergence is when two species develop similar body forms over time, as they take advantage of similar ecological niches. True or false
true
Hadrosaur dinosaurs ate meals consisting of foliage and branches of conifers and berries and leaves from angiosperms. 1) True 2) False
true
Hadrosaur nesting sites include many crushed eggshells suggesting that the nestlings lived for some time in the nests where they were cared for by their parents. 1) True 2) False
true
Horsetails are members of the Sphenopsida and are characterized as vascular plants that reproduce via spores. 1) True 2) False
true
If you wanted to, there would be options in the U.S. where you could pay in order to volunteer at a dinosaur dig site. true or false
true
In Michigan, you can collect up to 25 pounds per day (100 pounds maximum) of common invertebrate and plant fossils in Michigan's state lands. 1) True 2) False
true
In a few species of ceratopsians, we have enough individuals that have been described that show that variation in frill size and shape is a result of slight difference between individuals of different gender in the species. 1) True 2) False
true
In order to migrate into drier environments, early reptiles evolved scaly skin to prevent desiccation. 1) True 2) False
true
In rift valleys, the lavas typically formed basalt - a dark colored igneous rock. 1) True 2) False
true
In some cases dinosaur fossils are so well preserved, that paleontologists can reconstruct the color patterns of their feathers. True or false
true
It is common to find news articles on new dinosaur discoveries, because this is a way for the paleontologists to educate the public on their science. 1) True 2) False
true
Linnaean taxonomy is a hierarchical classification. True or flase
true
Marsh's Brontosaurus skeleton on display at the Peabody Museum at Yale had the wrong type of skull mounted on the skeleton. 1) True 2) False
true
Microtektites are small fragments of the meteorite; spherules are small pieces of fused glass representing molten rock thrown up into the atmosphere during the impact. 1) True 2) False
true
Most ornithopods had atricial young - young that were born immature and required parenting to reach maturity. 1) True 2) False
true
Not all "dinosaurs" shown on postage stamps are actually dinosaurs. 1) True 2) False
true
Ornithuromorphans lack gastralia - belly ribs. 1) True 2) False
true
Over the Mesozoic, several insect groups developed elongate, tubular mouthparts for sucking nectar. 1) True 2) False
true
Pachycephalosaurs are unique group of dinosaurs because the back portion of their brains has been rotated downward. 1) True 2) False
true
Professional scientists use different taxonomic codes that govern the rules used when naming and classifying a new species. 1) True 2) False
true
Prosauropods like Plateosaurus share the general characteristics of more advanced sauropodomorphs like long necks, small heads, enlarged thumbs with prominent claws, and elongate femurs. 1) True 2) False
true
Sauropodomorphs likely had high blood pressure in order to pump blood throughout their huge bodies. true or false
true
Sauropods had to have massive hearts in order to pump blood the length of the neck to the head and brain. Estimates of the systolic blood pressure is 630 mm or higher. 1) True 2) False
true
Some hadrosaurs exhibit exceptional preservation with fossils of skin and internal organs from "mummified" hadrosaurs. 1) True 2) False
true
Stegosaurs like Stegosaurus and Kentrosaurus exhibited sexual dimorphism - two adult forms of different size and some differences in the skeleton and osteoderms. 1) True 2) False
true
The backbone in dinosaurs consists of the cervical, dorsal, sacral, and caudal vertebrae. True False
true
The backbone in dinosaurs is made up of several series of vertebrae: cervical, dorsal, sacral and caudal. The backbone protects the spinal cord. 1) True 2) False
true
The earliest feathers are hair-like structures grown from follicles. 1) True 2) False
true
The forelimb bones (humerus, radius, ulna) in dinosaurs are directly homologous to the long bones in the human arm. True False
true
The main body (torso, limbs, tail) is fairly similar across Ceratopsian species, the main physical element that changes is the head region - with incredible diversity in frill and horn shape/size, position in the ~40 known ceratopsian species. 1) True 2) False
true
The oldest multicellular algae were found in iron mines here in Michigan. 1) True 2) False
true
The tooth is the same composition as it was originally. True False
true
The traditional subdivision of the dinosaurs into the saurischian and ornithischian groups is based on the configuration of the hip bones. True False
true
The two major controls on sea level are the rate of oceanic crust production and climate. 1) True 2) False
true
Theropods were obligate bipeds that had a digitigrade stance - i.e. they extended the length of the leg by walking on the toes. 1) True 2) False
true
Titanosaurs were the largest sauropods - with some reaching estimated masses of 65 tons! 1) True 2) False
true
Tsunamis represent giant waves formed by the displacement of huge volumes of water. 1) True 2) False
true
When collecting fossils on private land, you need to make sure that you have permission from the landowner to collect. 1) True 2) False
true