Question 1

Which statement about anurans is false?

Accepted Answer

Anurans, which include frogs and toads, typically have adaptations for living in various environments, including moist ones. However, having tough skins is an adaptation for living in dry environments, not very moist ones, as it helps to reduce water loss.

Question 2

Which statement about the amniote egg is false?

Accepted Answer

The statement about nitrogenous wastes being stored within the allantois in placental mammals is false because, in placental mammals, the allantois is part of the umbilical cord and contributes to the formation of the placenta, not for storing nitrogenous wastes. Nitrogenous wastes are removed from the fetus through the placenta and excreted by the mother's kidneys.

Question 3

Which statement about turtles is false?

Accepted Answer

The shell of a turtle is actually fused to their spine and ribcage and does not molt.

Question 4

An adaptation to a carnivorous lifestyle in snakes is

Accepted Answer

Venom glands are used to kill prey, which is an adaptation to a carnivorous lifestyle.

Question 5

Which of the following provides an example of neoteny?

Accepted Answer

Neoteny refers to the retention of juvenile features in the adult organism. Among the options, a completely aquatic lifestyle evolving several times among the salamanders (B) is an example of neoteny because some salamanders retain larval characteristics, such as gills, into adulthood, which allows them to live an aquatic lifestyle.

Question 6

Refer to the figure.  What is the function of the large amount of yolk in the amniote egg shown?

Accepted Answer

The large amount of yolk in the amniote egg provides nutrition, allowing the embryo to attain a relatively advanced state of development before hatching. This allows the amniote egg to be laid on land, away from a water source, since the embryo does not need to rely on external sources of nutrition.

Question 7

Refer to the figure showing a caecilian.  Given the body form of caecilians and where they live, what food do these organisms most likely eat?

Accepted Answer

Caecilians have a long, cylindrical body that is adapted for burrowing underground. This suggests that their diet is likely to consist of soil invertebrates such as earthworms, termites, and other small insects.

Question 8

Most adult amphibians accomplish gas exchange using

Accepted Answer

Most adult amphibians use a combination of lungs and thin skin for gas exchange. While they may have gills as larvae, these usually disappear as they mature. Swim bladders are not used for gas exchange in any amphibians.

Question 9

Which group of organisms corresponds with the evolutionary innovation of the amniote egg?

Accepted Answer

The amniote egg was a crucial innovation in allowing organisms to move from aquatic to terrestrial environments, and was a key adaptation of early reptiles. Amphibians still require moist environments for reproduction, birds evolved from dinosaurs and therefore were already terrestrial, ray-finned fishes and chondrichthyans are not amniotes and lay their eggs in water.

Question 10

Which structure is/are not part of the amniote egg?

Accepted Answer

Bone is not part of the amniote egg. The amniote egg contains extraembryonic membranes (including the amnion and the chorion), yolk, and a shell. The shell is typically composed of calcium carbonate and provides protection and support for the developing embryo. The yolk contains nutrients to support the developing embryo, and the extraembryonic membranes help to maintain a stable environment for the embryo within the egg. While bone is an important feature of many amniotic animals (such as reptiles, birds, and some mammals), it is not part of the amniote egg itself.

Question 11

Which is not thought to be a cause of the disappearance and decline of amphibians?

Accepted Answer

A decrease in the number of eggs laid is not thought to be a primary cause of the disappearance and decline of amphibians. The main factors contributing to their decline include habitat alteration, increased solar radiation, pathogenic fungal infections, and sensitivity to pesticides and other pollutants.

Question 12

What is the advantage of scales in lepidosaurs?

Accepted Answer

Scales in lepidosaurs greatly reduce water loss by serving as a barrier between the animal's skin and the environment. This is particularly important for reptiles living in dry or arid environments.

Question 13

Which group of reptiles has the fewest living members?

Accepted Answer

Tuataras are a rare group of reptiles found only in New Zealand, with only two living species. The other groups mentioned (snakes and lizards, turtles, crocodilians, birds) have more living members than tuataras.

Question 14

How do palaeognaths differ from neognaths?

Accepted Answer

Palaeognaths, which include birds like ostriches and emus, are generally characterized by their limited ability to fly or complete flightlessness, contrasting with neognaths that encompass a wide range of flying birds. Choices B, C, D, and E are incorrect as they do not accurately describe the differences between palaeognaths and neognaths: all birds, including both groups, have feathers; size varies widely within both groups; all modern birds are oviparous; and neither group has true teeth in the modern sense.

Question 15

A few species of frogs and salamanders are _______, which means they give birth to well-developed young.

Accepted Answer

The term "viviparous" refers to animals that give birth to well-developed young rather than laying eggs. Therefore, the correct choice is B.

Question 16

Which fossilized organism provides support that birds evolved from a reptilian ancestor that possessed feathers?

Accepted Answer

Microraptor gui is a fossilized organism that provides evidence for the evolution of birds from a reptilian ancestor that possessed feathers. Microraptor gui was a small, feathered theropod dinosaur that lived in the Early Cretaceous period in China. Its feathered wings suggest that it was capable of powered flight, and its skeletal features show similarities to both birds and non-avian dinosaurs, indicating that it was an important transitional fossil in the evolution of birds from their reptilian ancestors.

Question 17

The feathers of birds and fur of mammals both function in _______.

Accepted Answer

Both feathers and fur function as insulation to help regulate body temperature.

Question 18

The mudpuppy is a salamander that has retained a completely aquatic lifestyle due to _______ evolutionary processes.

Accepted Answer

Neoteny is the retention of juvenile traits in an adult organism, and in the mudpuppy's case, it means that it retains its aquatic lifestyle throughout its life. This is an example of evolutionary adaptation to an aquatic environment, allowing the mudpuppy to thrive in its habitat.

Question 19

Morphological, fossil, and molecular evidence support phylogenetic placement of birds among the reptiles, specifically in a specialized group of predatory dinosaurs called theropods.Which statement does not support this assertion?

Accepted Answer

Birds actually have hollow bones, which is a characteristic that supports their ability to fly. This contrasts with the dense, solid bones often found in many theropods and other non-avian dinosaurs.

Question 20

The fossil record, morphology, and molecular data all support the theory that birds are

Accepted Answer

The fossil record, morphology (physical characteristics), and molecular data support the theory that birds are descended from reptiles. Specifically, they are thought to have evolved from a group of dinosaurs called theropods, which were bipedal and had feathers.

Quiz 32: Deuterostome Animals