Evolution

Question 1

Define evolution

Answer 1

the cumulative change in the heritable characteristics of a population

Question 2

Law of fossil succession

Answer 2

the chronological sequence of complexity by which characteristics appear to develop

Question 3

Define Transitional fossils

Answer 3

Demonstrate that the intermediary forms, that occurred over the evolutionary pathway taken by a single genus.

Question 4

Define Australopithecus

Answer 4

An early hominin ancestor that first appeared in the fossil records around 4 million years ago.

Question 5

Define selective breeding

Answer 5

A form of artificial selection, whereby man intervened in breeding of species to produce favourable traits in offspring.

Question 6

Define comparative anatomy

Answer 6

Shows certain structural features that are similar, implying common ancestry.

Question 7

Define homologous structures

Answer 7

Anatomical features that are similar in basic structure despite being used in different ways

Question 8

Define speciation

Answer 8

The evolutionary process by which 2 related populations diverge into separated species.

Question 9

Define vestigial structures

Answer 9

The presence of functionless and reduced remnants of organs that were once present in their ancestors.

Question 10

Define biogeography

Answer 10

Describes the distribution of life forms over geographical areas both in the past and the present.

Question 11

Define adaptation

Answer 11

Are characteristics that make an individual suited to its environment and way of life

Question 12

Define taxon

Answer 12

Categories that scientists have generated named for. Ways to classify organism

Question 13

Define cladistics

Answer 13

A system of classification that groups organisms together according to the characteristics that have evolved from.

Question 14

Define primitive trait

Answer 14

Characteristics that have the same structure and function and evolved early on in the history of the organisms being studied

Question 15

Define derived trait

Answer 15

Characteristics that have the same structure and function but ahve evolved more recently.

Question 16

Define clade

Answer 16

A group composed of the most recent common ancestors of the group and all of its descendants).

Question 17

Define phylogeny

Answer 17

the study of the evolutionary pathways of a species

Question 18

Annelida

Answer 18

Invertebrate
- Bilateral symmetry
- Mouth & anus
- no skeleton

Question 19

Mollusca

Answer 19

Invertebrate
- Bilateral symmetry
- Mouth & anus
- exoskeleton

Question 20

Arthropoda

Answer 20

Invertebrate
- Bilateral
- Mouth & anus
- Internal skeleton

Question 21

Fish

Answer 21

Vertebrate
- Scales (bony plates)
- External reproduction
- Gills
- Ectothermic

Question 22

Amphibian

Answer 22

Vertebrate
- moist skin
- external reproduction
- simple lungs
- ectothermic

Question 23

Reptile

Answer 23

Vertebrate
- Scales (keratin)
- Internal reproduction (soft eggs)
- Lungs with extensive folding
- Ectothermic

Question 24

Bird

Answer 24

Vertebrate
- Feathers
- Internal reproduction (hard eggs)
- Lungs with bronchial tubes
- Endothermic

Question 25

Mammal

Answer 25

Vertebrate - Hair - internal reproduction (live births) - lungs with alveoli - endothermic

Question 26

Chlorophyta

Answer 26

Non vascular plants - short and grow closer to the ground

Question 27

Bryophyta

Answer 27

Non vascular plants - no true leaves, roots or stems - Reproduce using spores - No pollen, ovules, seeds or fruits.

Question 28

Filicinophyta

Answer 28

Vascular Plants: - Roots, leaves and non-woody stems usually present - Leaves often divided into pairs of smaller leaflets. Reproduce asexually using spores produced on the underside of leaves. -No pollen, ovules, seeds or fruits.

Question 29

Coniferophyta

Answer 29

Vascular Plants: - Roots, leaves and woody stems present - Leaves often narrow and needle-like with thick waxy cuticle. - Reproduce sexually (wind pollinated) using pollen, ovules and seeds produced in cones.

Question 30

Angiospermophyta

Answer 30

Vascular Plants: - Roots, leaves and stems (usually woody) - Reproduce sexually using pollen, ovules and seeds produced in flowers. - Fruits may also develop to disperse the seeds.

Question 31

Porifera

Answer 31

Invertebrate - No symmetry - No mouth or anus - No skeleton but some have a calcareous exoskeleton or internal spicules (needles) - Both surfaces covered in many pores for filter feeding - Sac-like unsegmented body with highly varied shape.

Question 32

Cnidaria

Answer 32

- Radial symmetry - Mouth only - Soft-bodied (no skeleton) but hard corals secrete calcium carbonate - Tentacles arranged in ring around mouth with stinging cells - Polyp or medusa shape in jellyfish

Question 33

Platyhelmintha

Answer 33

- Bilateral - Mouth only - Soft-bodied (no skeleton) - Flat, thin bodies shaped like ribbon - No lungs - No blood or gas exchange system

Question 34

Chordata

Answer 34

- Bilateral symmetry - Mouth and anus - Internal skeleton have vertebrate - Segmented bodies legs or other appendages with joints - Notochord, develops into dorsal nerve cord