Deck 17: The Origin of Species

Question 1

Before the modern era of science, organisms were assigned to species on the basis of

A) similarities in appearance.
B) their capability of interbreeding.
C) behavioral similarities.
D) the existence of fossils of earlier forms.
E) geographic location.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

A group of an interbreeding natural population that is reproductively isolated from other such groups is called a

A) tribe.
B) genus.
C) species.
D) genotype.
E) community.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The biological species concept cannot be applied to

A) allopatric populations.
B) extinct organisms.
C) species resulting from adaptive radiation.
D) polyploid populations.
E) sympatric populations.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Two species of pines, Pinus radiata and Pinus muricota, live in the same regions of California and are capable of forming hybrids under laboratory conditions. However, they do not interbreed because one releases pollen in February and the other in April. What genetic isolating mechanism is involved?

A) Gametic
B) Ecological
C) Temporal
D) Geographic
E) Hybrid inviability

Question 5

Female blue-footed boobies of the Galápagos Islands will mate only after a specific courtship display on the part of the male. The male high -steps to advertise his bright blue feet. What mechanism describes why the females do not mate with other species of boobies?

A) Behavioral isolation
B) Ecological isolation
C) Mechanical incompatibility
D) Temporal isolation
E) Geographic isolation

Question 6

Two different species of pine release their pollen at different times of the year. This is an example of

A) mechanical incompatibility.
B) ecological isolation.
C) temporal isolation.
D) geographic isolation.
E) behavioral isolation.

Question 7

Two populations of plants look identical but their flowers are fertilized by different pollinators-one by a night-flying hummingbird moth, the other by honeybees. These two populations of flowers are examples of

A) identical gene pools.
B) different species.
C) groups within the same species.
D) the same species using different pollinators.
E) identical evolutionary paths.

Question 8

Two fossils may be assigned to different species if

A) they show no evidence of being capable of interbreeding.
B) they come from different places.
C) one appears to be ancestral to the other.
D) they are anatomically different.
E) they come from different time periods.

Question 9

Two species of snails are physically unable to mate. This is an example of

A) temporal isolation.
B) ecological isolation.
C) geographic isolation.
D) behavioral isolation
E) mechanical incompatibility.

Question 10

Fruit fly species all look similar to one another. If you have a male and a female fruit fly, how can you prove that they are the same species, according to the biological species concept?

A) If they can asexually reproduce and their offspring can also successfully asexually reproduce, they are the same species.
B) If they mate when they are put together, they are the same species.
C) If they mate successfully and their offspring are fertile, they are the same species.
D) Determine the base sequence of the DNA of their chromosomes.
E) Examine them closely with a low-power microscope, comparing their physical characteristics to published species key lists of characteristics.

Question 11

Two species of garter snakes live in the same geographic area. One lives mainly in water and the other mainly on land; therefore, they rarely encounter each other and do not interbreed. What type of isolation is this?

A) Geographic
B) Mechanical
C) Behavioral
D) Temporal
E) Ecological

Question 12

Eastern and Western meadowlarks look almost identical and sometimes inhabit the same areas of prairies. These birds recognize members of their own species by distinctive songs and thus do not breed with each other. This is an example of

A) temporal isolation.
B) ecological isolation.
C) mechanical isolation.
D) geographic isolation.
E) behavioral isolation.

Question 13

The elaborate courtship rituals of many bird species help to preserve their genetic isolation through

A) behavioral isolation.
B) allopatric separation.
C) mechanical incompatibility.
D) hybrid inviability.
E) temporal isolation.

Question 14

Which of these definitions of species best matches the biological species concept?

A) Members of the same species look almost exactly alike.
B) Members of the same species are all morphologically similar.
C) Members of the same species are all genetically identical.
D) Members of the same species are whatever an expert says they are.
E) Members of the same species can mate and produce fertile offspring.

Question 15

The biological concept of species requires that

A) organisms reproduce sexually.
B) organisms are morphologically similar.
C) only asexual reproduction occurs.
D) individuals are able to reproduce outside the group.
E) geographic isolation occurs.

Question 16

One species of fish feeds in the muddy bottom of a lake. A second species eats insects that land on the water surface. This is an example of

A) behavioral isolation.
B) mechanical incompatibility.
C) ecological isolation.
D) temporal isolation.
E) geographic isolation.

Question 17

In many species of fireflies, males flash light from their abdomens to attract females. Each species has a different flashing pattern. This is an example of

A) mechanical incompatibility.
B) temporal isolation.
C) behavioral isolation.
D) ecological isolation.
E) geographic isolation.

Question 18

One method of maintaining the genetic isolation of a population is the inability of sperm to fertilize eggs of a different species. This is called

A) hybrid inviability.
B) ecological isolation.
C) temporal isolation.
D) behavioral isolation.
E) gametic incompatibility.

Question 19

Two populations of plants found in the same meadow look identical but are fertilized by different pollinators-one by a night-flying hummingbird moth, the other by honeybees that fly by day. This is an example of

A) ecological isolation.
B) mechanical incompatibility.
C) geographic isolation.
D) behavioral isolation.
E) temporal isolation.

Question 20

Populations that were once considered separate species are sometimes reassigned to the same species because

A) they are no longer capable of interbreeding.
B) it was discovered that they can produce viable and fertile offspring.
C) they have been found to be genetically identical.
D) they have evolved to look different from each other.
E) they have evolved to look the same.

Question 21

Two species of squirrels live on either side of the Grand Canyon. It is believed that a long time ago, before being separated by the canyon, they were the same species. This is an example of

A) hybrid inviability.
B) behavioral isolation.
C) temporal isolation.
D) mechanical isolation.
E) allopatric speciation.

Question 22

Since the Pleistocene ice age, deserts have been gradually forming in the southwestern United States. As the original lakes and rivers of this area shrank into isolated streams, ponds, and springs, the fishes living in them developed a strong potential for

A) hybrid inviability.
B) mechanical incompatibility.
C) hybridization.
D) temporal isolation.
E) speciation.

Question 23

Gametic incompatibility is an example of

A) a postmating isolating mechanism.
B) hybrid inviability.
C) a premating isolating mechanism.
D) a geographic isolating mechanism.

Question 24

The Great Dane and the Chihuahua are both domestic dogs (the same species), but mating between them is limited because of

A) hybrid inviability.
B) hybrid infertility.
C) geographic isolation.
D) mechanical incompatibility.
E) behavioral isolation.

Question 25

When offspring are infertile after breeding occurs between individuals of different species, the genetic identities of the two populations are protected by

A) genetic isolation.
B) temporal isolation.
C) hybrid infertility.
D) mechanical incompatibility.
E) behavioral isolation.

Question 26

When some hybrid organisms do not live long, it is an example of

A) temporal isolation.
B) hybrid inviability.
C) hybrid infertility.
D) hybrid vigor.
E) gametic incompatibility.

Question 27

Lions and tigers can interbreed and produce offspring called tiglons or ligers, which have normal life spans but are sterile. Lions and tigers remain isolated genetically because of

A) mechanical incompatibility.
B) hybrid infertility.
C) behavioral isolation.
D) hybrid inviability.
E) heterozygote disadvantage.

Question 28

When the pollen of one plant species will not germinate on the flower of another species, it is an example of

A) temporal isolation.
B) hybrid inviability.
C) hybrid infertility.
D) hybrid vigor.
E) gametic incompatibility.

Question 29

What happens when two populations become geographically separated from each other and then genetic divergence occurs?

A) Sympatric speciation
B) The founder effect
C) Allopatric speciation
D) Temporal isolation
E) Continental drift

Question 30

A pet store puts both Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus) and black rats (Rattus rattus) in the same cage. If mating occurs, the pregnancy will not succeed because the embryos fail to develop properly. This is an example of

A) temporal isolation.
B) hybrid inviability.
C) hybrid infertility.
D) hybrid vigor.
E) gametic incompatibility.

Question 31

Where would a researcher most likely find examples of allopatric speciation?

A) On the surface of a large lake
B) In a large, flat prairie lacking any significant water
C) On a mountain range with many steep valleys and turbulent rivers
D) In a desert lacking sand dunes or rock formations
E) At the bottom of a sandy, slowly flowing river

Question 32

There are currently many similar-looking but different species on either side of the Isthmus of Panama. They most likely resulted from

A) temporal isolation.
B) allopatric speciation.
C) hybridization.
D) random mutations.
E) sympatric speciation.

Question 33

A horse has a diploid number (2n) of 64 and a donkey has 2n = 62. The hybrid of these two species, mules, have 2n = 63 and are sterile. Why are mules sterile?

A) Mules are not true hybrids.
B) One chromosome is unpaired and fails to divide properly during meiosis.
C) Horses are not able to form new species.
D) Mules cannot physically mate with each other.
E) Mules cannot physically mate with horses and donkeys.

Question 34

The Kaibab squirrel lives on the north side of the Grand Canyon, and the Abert squirrel lives on the south side. Even though these two populations are only miles apart, their gene pools are kept isolated by

A) geographic isolation.
B) temporal isolation.
C) mechanical incompatibility.
D) hybrid infertility.
E) ecological isolation.

Question 35

When two organisms reach sexual maturity at different times, it is an example of

A) temporal isolation.
B) hybrid inviability.
C) hybrid infertility.
D) hybrid vigor.
E) gametic incompatibility.

Question 36

Temporal isolation is an example of

A) neither a premating nor a postmating isolation mechanism.
B) both a premating and a postmating isolation mechanism.
C) a premating isolating mechanism.
D) a postmating isolating mechanism.

Question 37

Horses and donkeys can mate successfully to produce mules, which are always sterile. Which genetic isolating mechanism prevents horses and donkeys from becoming a single species?

A) Mechanical isolation
B) Temporal isolation
C) Behavioral isolation
D) Hybrid infertility
E) Hybrid inviability

Question 38

Crossing a zebra with a horse produces sterile offspring. This is an example of

A) temporal isolation.
B) hybrid inviability.
C) hybrid infertility.
D) hybrid vigor.
E) gametic incompatibility.

Question 39

Interbreeding two different species of lovebirds produces offspring that are unable to build a nest after they mature because they lack the appropriate nest -building behavior needed to build a nest. This limits genetic mixing between the species due to

A) ecological isolation.
B) behavioral isolation.
C) mechanical incompatibility.
D) geographic isolation.
E) hybrid inviability.

Question 40

If a hybrid is unable to produce sperm because meiosis does not proceed correctly, gene flow between the species is restricted by

A) hybrid viability.
B) hybrid infertility.
C) ecological isolation.
D) temporal isolation.
E) gametic isolation.

Question 41

Which statement best describes how overspecialization can affect a species?

A) Highly specialized adaptations in a species increase the likelihood of extinction if the environment changes.
B) If the habitat around a specialized species changes, the species always evolves new specialized adaptations.
C) Highly specialized adaptations are rare in species that occupy a very limited geographic range.
D) New adaptations will never occur in a highly specialized species.
E) Highly specialized adaptations enable a species to live anywhere on Earth.

Question 42

Which statement best describes the reproductive isolation between populations of Rhagoletis flies, one of which is found on apple trees and the other that is found on hawthorn trees?

A) Hybrid offspring of the two populations are sterile.
B) Hawthorn trees and apple trees grow in different areas, so the two populations do not encounter each other.
C) Eggs laid by female flies mated with a male from the ʺwrongʺ population do not develop.
D) Male flies of one population cannot physically mate with females from the other population.
E) Apple-liking males are more likely to encounter apple-liking females than hawthorn-liking females.

Question 43

The immediate cause of most extinctions is

A) environmental change.
B) genetic drift.
C) hybridization.
D) overspecialization.
E) wide distribution.

Question 44

Organisms from two separate species can look anatomically similar.

Question 45

The introduction of a few individuals into a new habitat that is unoccupied by other members of the species is a(n)

A) temporal isolation.
B) adaptive radiation.
C) extinction.
D) founder event.
E) limited speciation.

Question 46

When a species invades a new habitat and evolves rapidly into several new species to better exploit new resources, what has occurred?

A) Adaptive radiation
B) Hybridization
C) Polyploidy
D) Extinction
E) Genetic divergence

Question 47

The organisms most likely to undergo sympatric speciation by polyploidy are

A) protists.
B) mammals.
C) birds.
D) insects.
E) plants.

Question 48

A single species of finch from South America was displaced to a new habitat in the Galápagos Islands and evolved rapidly into several new species as it exploited the new resources. What occurred in these Darwinʹs finches?

A) Phyletic speciation
B) Stabilizing selection
C) Polyploidy
D) Divergent speciation
E) Adaptive radiation

Question 49

Overspecialized adaptations

A) enable a species to be more adaptable to environmental changes.
B) enable a species to be more independent of other species.
C) are found only in species with very wide geographic ranges.
D) are the result of natural selection.
E) promote survival in a wide range of habitats.

Question 50

What is the best explanation for the origin of the unique species recently found in the Annamite Mountains of Vietnam?

A) Adaptive radiation
B) Sympatric speciation
C) Behavioral isolation
D) Temporal isolation
E) Allopatric speciation

Question 51

In northern Minnesota, the lynx (Lynx canadensis) habitat overlaps the bobcat (Lynx rufus) habitat. The two can breed and produce healthy, fertile offspring, which could lead to

A) hybrid infertility.
B) geographic isolation.
C) gametic incompatibility.
D) extinction of one or both species.
E) hybrid inviability.

Question 52

The parasitic Rhagoletis flies show such a preference for either hawthorn or apple trees that they are no longer interbreeding populations. What type of speciation does this scenario illustrate?

A) The founder effect
B) Specialization
C) Sympatric
D) Allopatric
E) Polyploidy

Question 53

Which species is least likely to become extinct?

A) A fish species found in all five of the Great Lakes
B) A fish species that has hybridized with another species to produce infertile offspring
C) A mammal species that feeds on a rare tropical orchid
D) A fish species that feeds on only rare snails found in only one small river
E) A mammal species that can live equally well on dry land and in fresh water

Question 54

The introduction of a new species into an area that has several different habitats and very rich resources, but no predators will likely lead to

A) adaptive radiation.
B) mechanical incompatibility.
C) extinctions.
D) limited speciation.
E) temporal isolation.

Question 55

The most common cause of extinction is

A) habitat change.
B) overspecialization.
C) limited species range.
D) asteroid impacts.
E) interactions with other species.

Question 56

The origins of 300 or more species of cichlid fish in Lake Malawi can best be explained by

A) random events.
B) premating isolating mechanisms.
C) polyploidy.
D) adaptive radiation.
E) the fossil record.

Question 57

Which of the following is the most prevalent immediate cause of extinction?

A) Specialization
B) Disease
C) Environmental change
D) Predation
E) Competition

Question 58

Hybridization of two species in which of the following cases could lead to the extinction of one of the original species?

A) The two species increase their population sizes, thus increasing the effects of genetic drift.
B) Hybridization increases inbreeding, which decreases the average fitness of the species.
C) An endangered species may further decline by producing less -fit hybrid offspring.
D) The hybrid offspring may outcompete the parental species.
E) It may introduce deleterious genes from one species to another.

Question 59

Premating isolation mechanisms occur when two species have different and incompatible mating behaviors.

Question 60

Which species is most likely to become extinct?

A) The northeastern pygmy shrew, found throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania
B) The white tiger beetle, found throughout several mid-Atlantic U.S. states
C) Carp, found throughout Europe, the United States, and Canada
D) The jack-in-the-pulpit, found throughout the eastern United States and Canada
E) Kirtlandʹs warbler, which breeds in only a small area of Michigan

Question 61

Hybrid inviability occurs when two species mate and produce fertile offspring.

Question 62

In the late 1700s, two populations of minnows became isolated when an earthquake altered the path of a river. Now the populations can no longer successfully breed with each other even when they are both moved to the same pond. These organisms have undergone _________speciation.

Question 63

How do premating isolation mechanisms differ from postmating isolation mechanisms?

Question 64

Polyploidy is an important mechanism of speciation in plants.

Question 65

Researchers believe that at least_________ % of the species that have lived on Earth have become extinct.

Question 66

A flower has four copies of each chromosome. This is an example of_________ .

Question 67

In what type of habitat, or under what types of environmental conditions, would you expect adaptive radiation to occur?

Question 68

Two species of plants that both use honeybees as pollinators but reproduce at different times of the year-one spring, the other midsummer-demonstrate geographic isolation.

Question 69

When hybrid offspring are created between species but are unable to breed successfully, it is referred to as _________.

Question 70

For new species to develop, there must be_________ in the population.)

Question 71

Mechanisms that prevent mating between species are called _________isolating mechanisms.

Question 72

A plant breeder can use plum pollen to hand-fertilize an apricot flower. The fruit contains fertile seed that grows into a hybrid called a plucot. However, in the natural environment, plums and apricots bloom several weeks apart. Why are plums and apricots considered separate species?

Question 73

What are the five premating isolating mechanisms that keep different species from successfully mating?

Question 74

Modern biologists have identified two main factors that drive speciation. What are these factors?

Question 75

The biological species concept is based on the idea that individuals in one group are be unable to breed with individuals outside their group. This phenomenon is referred to as_________.

Question 76

Two organisms that live on different islands are experiencing _________isolation.

Question 77

Hybrid inviability is an example of a(n) _________isolating mechanism.

Question 78

Explain why naming and describing species based only on their appearance can be problematic.

Question 79

Polyploidy is an important mechanism of speciation in animals.

Question 80

One species of moss in upstate New York produces gametes in May, and another species of moss in the same region produces gametes in June. This is an example of a(n) _________isolating mechanism.