Question 1

Which of the following was NOT a predominant vertebrate life form 70 million years ago?

Accepted Answer

Icthyosaurs, dinosaurs, and pterosaurs were all predominant vertebrate life forms during the Mesozoic era, which includes the period 70 million years ago. Plesiadapiforms, suggested by the term "plesiadaposaurs," were early primate-like mammals that did not appear until the Paleocene epoch, after the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs about 66 million years ago.

Question 2

A primary consideration of all dating methods is the _____________ of a fossil.

Accepted Answer

A

Question 3

Researchers must know a fossil's _____________ before they can calculate its age.

Accepted Answer

Provenience and context are both crucial for researchers to accurately calculate the age of a fossil. Provenience refers to the exact location where a fossil was found, which helps in understanding its geological layer, while context includes the fossil's position, layer, and association with other finds, all of which are essential for accurate dating.

Question 4

The context of a fossil includes all of the following EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

The context of a fossil refers to its physical and geological setting, including the type of rock it was found in, surrounding nonfossil items, and nearby fossils. The phylogenetic position of the fossil, which relates to its evolutionary relationships, is not considered part of its context but rather a result of scientific analysis and interpretation.

Question 5

Which of the following is NOT a relative dating technique?

Accepted Answer

Fission-track dating is an absolute dating method that involves counting the damage tracks left by fragments of the spontaneous fission of uranium-238 within minerals. Unlike relative dating techniques, which only establish whether one sample is older or younger than another, absolute dating methods provide an estimate in actual numbers of years.

Question 6

The context of a fossil is needed

Accepted Answer

The context of a fossil is crucial for drawing inferences about the fossil itself, reconstructing past life forms, and understanding past environments. Each of these aspects relies on the context to provide accurate and meaningful interpretations.

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT a chronometric dating technique?

Accepted Answer

Fluoroscopy is not a dating technique; it is an imaging technique used in medicine to visualize internal structures of the body in real-time. Dendrochronology, potassium-argon dating, and thermoluminescence are all chronometric dating techniques used in archaeology and geology to determine the age of artifacts, fossils, and geological formations.

Question 8

The major groups of mammals are

Accepted Answer

The answer of The major groups of mammals are
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Question 9

Mammalian traits include

Accepted Answer

Mammalian traits include homiothermy (the ability to maintain a constant body temperature), heterodontism (having teeth of different types), specific reproductive patterns (such as live birth in most mammals and mammary glands for feeding young), and unique brain structures (like the neocortex).

Question 10

After the mass extinction event 65 million years ago, _____________ underwent an adaptive radiation.

Accepted Answer

Placentals underwent an adaptive radiation after the mass extinction event 65 million years ago, leading to the diversification and dominance of placental mammals in various ecological niches.

Question 11

After the mass extinction event 65 million years ago, _____________ quickly became extinct.

Accepted Answer

Multituberculates, an order of early mammals, experienced a significant decline and eventual extinction after the mass extinction event 65 million years ago, unlike placentals, monotremes, and marsupials which survived and continued to evolve.

Question 12

Today, the vast majority of mammals are

Accepted Answer

The vast majority of mammals today are placentals. This group includes humans, whales, elephants, and many other familiar animals. Placental mammals give birth to relatively developed offspring, unlike monotremes, which lay eggs, and marsupials, which give birth to undeveloped young that typically complete development in a pouch. Multituberculates, an extinct group, are not among the majority of today's mammals.

Question 13

Today, only three species of mammals are

Accepted Answer

The answer of Today, only three species of mammals are
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Question 14

During the Paleocene epoch, Pleseadapiformes

Accepted Answer

During the Paleocene epoch, Plesiadapiformes underwent an adaptive radiation, a period of rapid evolution and diversification into a variety of forms and ecological niches. This is in contrast to becoming extinct or decreasing in numbers.

Question 15

Fossil forms that meet all of the criteria for a true primate are first found in the _____________ epoch.

Accepted Answer

The first true primates, known as euprimates, appear in the fossil record during the Eocene epoch.

Question 16

Adapoids are found in the fossil record of

Accepted Answer

Adapoids are primarily found in the fossil record of Africa, North America, Europe, and Asia, indicating their wide distribution during the Eocene epoch.

Question 17

Omomyoids are found in the fossil record of

Accepted Answer

Omomyoids are primarily found in the fossil record of North America, Europe, and Asia, not Africa or South America.

Question 18

Fossil finds within the past few decades indicate the earliest anthropoids appeared in the _____________ epoch.

Accepted Answer

The earliest anthropoids are believed to have appeared in the Eocene epoch, based on fossil finds from the past few decades. This period is significant for the early evolution of primates, including the emergence of the first true anthropoids.

Question 19

The earliest anthropoids are found only in

Accepted Answer

The earliest anthropoids, which are early relatives of monkeys, apes, and humans, are found in Africa and South and Southeast Asia. This distribution reflects the early stages of primate evolution and the geographical areas where these primates first appeared and diversified.

Question 20

Most of the modern primate forms show up in the fossil record of the _____________ epochs.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Most of the modern primate forms show...

Quiz 6: Early Primate Evolution