Question 1

-The table shows the distribution of traits (A-E)in six extant species (1-6).A "0" indicates the ancestral condition,and a "1" indicates the derived condition.Which trait is least informative of phylogenetic relationships within the group?
A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D
E)E

Accepted Answer

Trait E is least informative because it shows no variation among the species (all have the same state, either all 0 or all 1), providing no information on their phylogenetic relationships.

Question 2

-The table shows the distribution of traits (A-E)in six extant species (1-6).A "0" indicates the ancestral condition,while "1" indicates the derived condition.Which trait is least informative of phylogenetic relationships within the group?
A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D
E)E

Accepted Answer

Trait A is least informative because it is present in all six species, indicating that it is the ancestral condition and does not provide any information about the evolutionary relationships between the species.

Question 3

-Consider the cladogram shown.Based on this cladogram,which species has the greatest number of ancestral character states?
A)1
B)2
C)3
D)4
E)5

Accepted Answer

The answer of 
-Consider the cladogram shown.Based on this cladogram,which...

Question 4

Select the true statements describing why cladistics may not always be the best method for reconstructing phylogenies based on data from the DNA genome.
A)The rate of evolution of the DNA genome is rapid.
B)The assumptions of the principle of parsimony are not always met.
C)Homoplasy often dominates the data sets.
D)The number of character states for DNA is large.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Select the true statements describing why cladistics...

Question 5

Character states shared by the ancestor or outgroup of a clade are called
A)derived traits.
B)homoplasies.
C)synapomorphies.
D)plesiomorphies.
E)symplesiomorphies.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Character states shared by the ancestor or...

Question 6

-The table shows the distribution of traits (A-E)in six extant species (1-6).A "0" indicates the ancestral condition,while a "1" indicates the derived condition.Which trait is represented by the greatest number of plesiomorphies?
A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D
E)E

Accepted Answer

The answer of 
-The table shows the distribution of traits...

Question 7

-Consider the cladogram shown.Which pair of species shares the greatest number of derived characters (synapomorphies)?
A)1 and 4
B)2 and 3
C)2 and 4
D)6 and 4
E)6 and 5

Accepted Answer

The answer of 
-Consider the cladogram shown.Which pair of species...

Question 8

-Consider the cladogram shown.If we designate species 1 as the outgroup,which species has the greatest number of ancestral character states (pleisiomorphies)?
A)2
B)3
C)4
D)5
E)6

Accepted Answer

The answer of 
-Consider the cladogram shown.If we designate species...

Question 9

-The table shows the distribution of traits (A-E)in six extant species (1-6).A "0" indicates the ancestral condition,and a "1" indicates the derived condition.Which trait is least informative of phylogenetic relationships within the group?
A)A
B)B
C)C
D)D
E)E

Accepted Answer

Trait E is least informative because it shows no variation among the species (all have the same state, either all 0 or all 1), providing no information on their phylogenetic relationships.

Question 10

-Consider the cladogram shown.Which pair of species shares the greatest number of derived characters (synapomorphies)?
A)4 and 2
B)5 and 4
C)6 and 1
D)6 and 2
E)5 and 2

Accepted Answer

The answer of 
-Consider the cladogram shown.Which pair of species...

Question 11

Birds,snakes,lizards,turtles,and crocodiles are all thought to share a common ancestor and several homologous traits.Assuming that this is true,these groups of animals and their common ancestor would represent
A)a polyphyletic group.
B)a monophyletic group.
C)homoplastic convergence.
D)an outgroup.
E)a species cluster.

Accepted Answer

A monophyletic group includes a common ancestor and all of its descendants. Since birds, snakes, lizards, turtles, and crocodiles share a common ancestor and several homologous traits, they would be considered a monophyletic group. A polyphyletic group would include organisms with different ancestors, while homoplastic convergence would refer to similar traits evolving independently in different lineages. An outgroup is a taxon that is closely related to but not part of the group being studied. A species cluster is not a valid scientific term.

Question 12

Derived character states shared by clade members are called
A)ancestral traits.
B)homoplasies.
C)synapomorphies.
D)plesiomorphies.
E)symplesiomorphies.

Accepted Answer

Synapomorphies are derived character states that are shared by clade members and indicate common ancestry. Ancestral traits (A) are shared by all members of a group and do not indicate common ancestry. Homoplasies (B) are similarities in traits that are not due to common ancestry but rather convergence or parallel evolution. Plesiomorphies (D) are ancestral traits that are shared by all members of a group. Symplesiomorphies (E) are ancestral traits shared by two or more taxa that have not diverged from a common ancestor.

Question 13

-The table shows the distribution of traits (A-E)in six extant species (1-6).A "0" indicates the ancestral condition,while "1" indicates the derived condition.Based on this data,which species would be considered the outgroup?
A)1
B)2
C)3
D)4
E)5

Accepted Answer

The answer of 
-The table shows the distribution of traits...

Question 14

-The table shows the distribution of traits (A-E)in six extant species (1-6).A "0" indicates the ancestral condition,while a "1" indicates the derived condition.Based on this data,which pair of species diverged most recently?
A)1 and 4
B)2 and 3
C)2 and 4
D)6 and 4
E)6 and 5

Accepted Answer

Species 2 and 3 share the most derived traits, indicating they diverged most recently.

Question 15

-The table shows the distribution of traits (A-E)in six extant species (1-6).A "0" indicates the ancestral condition,and a "1" indicates the derived condition.Which pair of species shares the greatest number of derived characters (synapomorphies)?
A)1 and 4
B)6 and 3
C)6 and 1
D)5 and 6
E)5 and 1

Accepted Answer

The answer of 
-The table shows the distribution of traits...

Question 16

The following are steps used to construct a cladogram that best reflects the evolutionary relationships of a group of species.Which step involves deciding which tree is most likely to have occurred,based on the fewest character state changes?
A)Polarize the characters.
B)Establish the character states.
C)Gather data on characters to be used.
D)Apply the principle of parsimony.
E)Select an outgroup.

Accepted Answer

Step D involves applying the principle of parsimony, which involves choosing the tree that requires the fewest character state changes. This is the tree that is most likely to reflect the true evolutionary relationships of the species.

Question 17

-The table shows the distribution of traits (A-E)in six extant species (1-6).A "0" indicates the ancestral condition,and a "1" indicates the derived condition.Which species has the greatest number of ancestral character states (pleisiomorphies)?
A)1
B)2
C)3
D)4
E)5

Accepted Answer

Species 5 has the greatest number of ancestral character states (pleisiomorphies) as indicated by the highest number of "0" values in its row compared to the other species.

Question 18

Evidence suggests that the crocodiles are more closely related to the birds than the turtles and snakes.If so,then including crocodiles,but not birds,in the Class Reptilia would make the Class Reptilia
A)a monophyletic group.
B)a paraphyletic group.
C)a polyphyletic group.
D)parsimonious.
E)not homologous.

Accepted Answer

If crocodiles are more closely related to birds than turtles and snakes, then including crocodiles in the Class Reptilia, but not birds, would make the Class Reptilia a paraphyletic group. This is because it would exclude birds, which are also classified as reptiles in the cladistic sense. A monophyletic group includes all descendants from a common ancestor, while a paraphyletic group includes some but not all descendants, and a polyphyletic group does not include the most recent common ancestor of its members. The terms parsimonious and homologous are not applicable in this context.

Question 19

Select all of the following that can result in homoplasies.
A)convergent evolution
B)evolutionary reversals
C)divergent evolution
D)shared ancestry

Accepted Answer

Convergent evolution and evolutionary reversals can both result in homoplasies. Convergent evolution is when two unrelated species evolve similar traits due to similar selection pressures, while evolutionary reversals are when a trait that was lost in a common ancestor re-evolves in different lineages. Both of these processes can lead to homoplasies, which are similar traits that did not arise from a common ancestor. Divergent evolution (C) and shared ancestry (D) typically result in homologies, which are similar traits that did arise from a common ancestor.

Question 20

-The table shows the distribution of traits (A-E)in six extant species (1-6).A "0" indicates the ancestral condition,and a "1" indicates the derived condition.Which species would you designate as the outgroup?
A)1
B)4
C)2
D)3
E)5

Accepted Answer

The answer of 
-The table shows the distribution of traits...

Quiz 23: Systematics,phylogenies,and Comparative Biology

-The table shows the distribution of traits (A-E) in six extant species (1-6) .A "0" indicates the ancestral condition,and a "1" indicates the derived condition.Which trait is least informative of phylogenetic relationships within the group?

-The table shows the distribution of traits (A-E) in six extant species (1-6) .A "0" indicates the ancestral condition,while "1" indicates the derived condition.Which trait is least informative of phylogenetic relationships within the group?

-Consider the cladogram shown.Based on this cladogram,which species has the greatest number of ancestral character states?

Select the true statements describing why cladistics may not always be the best method for reconstructing phylogenies based on data from the DNA genome.

Character states shared by the ancestor or outgroup of a clade are called

-The table shows the distribution of traits (A-E) in six extant species (1-6) .A "0" indicates the ancestral condition,while a "1" indicates the derived condition.Which trait is represented by the greatest number of plesiomorphies?

-Consider the cladogram shown.Which pair of species shares the greatest number of derived characters (synapomorphies) ?

-Consider the cladogram shown.If we designate species 1 as the outgroup,which species has the greatest number of ancestral character states (pleisiomorphies) ?

-The table shows the distribution of traits (A-E) in six extant species (1-6) .A "0" indicates the ancestral condition,and a "1" indicates the derived condition.Which trait is least informative of phylogenetic relationships within the group?

-Consider the cladogram shown.Which pair of species shares the greatest number of derived characters (synapomorphies) ?

Birds,snakes,lizards,turtles,and crocodiles are all thought to share a common ancestor and several homologous traits.Assuming that this is true,these groups of animals and their common ancestor would represent

Derived character states shared by clade members are called

-The table shows the distribution of traits (A-E) in six extant species (1-6) .A "0" indicates the ancestral condition,while "1" indicates the derived condition.Based on this data,which species would be considered the outgroup?

-The table shows the distribution of traits (A-E) in six extant species (1-6) .A "0" indicates the ancestral condition,while a "1" indicates the derived condition.Based on this data,which pair of species diverged most recently?

-The table shows the distribution of traits (A-E) in six extant species (1-6) .A "0" indicates the ancestral condition,and a "1" indicates the derived condition.Which pair of species shares the greatest number of derived characters (synapomorphies) ?

The following are steps used to construct a cladogram that best reflects the evolutionary relationships of a group of species.Which step involves deciding which tree is most likely to have occurred,based on the fewest character state changes?

-The table shows the distribution of traits (A-E) in six extant species (1-6) .A "0" indicates the ancestral condition,and a "1" indicates the derived condition.Which species has the greatest number of ancestral character states (pleisiomorphies) ?

Evidence suggests that the crocodiles are more closely related to the birds than the turtles and snakes.If so,then including crocodiles,but not birds,in the Class Reptilia would make the Class Reptilia

Select all of the following that can result in homoplasies.

-The table shows the distribution of traits (A-E) in six extant species (1-6) .A "0" indicates the ancestral condition,and a "1" indicates the derived condition.Which species would you designate as the outgroup?