Biology Chapter 34: Adaptations and Characteristics

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary function of the diaphragm in mammals?

To aid in digestion

To regulate body temperature

To help ventilate the lungs (correct)

To produce milk for offspring

Which characteristic is shared by both birds and mammals?

Gill respiration

Egg-laying

Scaly skin

Endothermy (correct)

What is a unique characteristic of mammalian teeth?

They are all the same size and shape

They are only used for defense

They are only found in the upper jaw

They are adapted for chewing a variety of foods (correct)

What is the primary function of mammary glands in mammals?

To produce milk for offspring Signup and view all the answers

What adaptation do perching birds have to help them rest?

Toes that can lock around a branch Signup and view all the answers

What is a benefit of the extended parental care in mammals and birds?

More time for offspring to learn survival skills Signup and view all the answers

What likely adaptation allowed early vertebrates to become scavengers and predators?

Evolution of conodont dental elements Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of jawless vertebrates, such as lampreys and hagfishes?

Suspension feeding behavior Signup and view all the answers

In what part of the body did mineralization likely begin in vertebrates?

Mouth Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of gnathostomes, a group of vertebrates?

Presence of jaws Signup and view all the answers

What likely led to the diversification of vertebrates into more derived lineages?

Mineralization of the endoskeleton Signup and view all the answers

What is a difference between lampreys and conodonts in terms of feeding method?

Conodonts are predators, while lampreys are scavengers Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of the jaws in gnathostomes?

To grip food items firmly and slice them Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following groups of organisms is characterized by the presence of jaws?

Gnathostomes Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the placoderm that could exert a force of 560 kg/cm2 at the tip of its jaws?

Dunkleosteus Signup and view all the answers

According to one hypothesis, what is the origin of the skeletal rods that supported the evolution of gnathostome jaws?

Modification of the anterior pharyngeal slits Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic that distinguishes gnathostomes from jawless armored vertebrates?

Presence of jaws Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a jawless armored vertebrate?

Pteraspis Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the series of bones that make up the backbone?

Vertebrae Signup and view all the answers

When did one lineage of vertebrates colonize land?

365 million years ago Signup and view all the answers

What is the clade that chordates belong to?

Deuterostomia Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic that all chordates share?

Presence of a notochord Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the animals that include vertebrates and two groups of invertebrates?

Cordates Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of chordates that may only be present during embryonic development?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of pharyngeal slits or clefts in vertebrates?

For gas exchange Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic that distinguishes lancelets from other chordates?

They retain characteristics of the chordate body plan as adults Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of the tail in many aquatic chordates?

To provide propelling force Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic shared by all chordates?

Presence of genes associated with the heart and thyroid Signup and view all the answers

What is unique to vertebrates?

Presence of genes associated with transmission of nerve impulses Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of vertebrae in vertebrates?

To enclose a spinal cord Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Vertebrates

Get their name from vertebrae, the series of bones that make up the backbone
One lineage of vertebrates colonized land 365 million years ago, giving rise to modern amphibians, reptiles (including birds), and mammals

Chordates

Are bilaterian animals that belong to the clade of animals known as Deuterostomia
Compromise all vertebrates and two groups of invertebrates, the urochordates and cephalochordates
Share a set of derived characters, some of which are only present during embryonic development
Have four key characteristics:
- Notochord: a longitudinal, flexible rod between the digestive tube and nerve cord that provides skeletal support
- Dorsal, hollow nerve cord: develops from a plate of ectoderm that rolls into a tube dorsal to the notochord and becomes the Central Nervous System (brain and spinal cord)
- Pharyngeal slits or clefts: grooves in the pharynx that develop into slits that open to the outside of the body and function in suspension-feeding, gas exchange, and development of parts of the ear, head, and neck
- Muscular, post-anal tail: contains skeletal elements and muscles, providing propelling force in many aquatic species

Lancelets and Tunicates

Lancelets are marine suspension feeders that retain characteristics of the chordate body plan as adults
Ancestral chordates may have resembled lancelets
Sequencing of the tunicate genome indicates that genes associated with the heart and thyroid are common to all chordates, while genes associated with transmission of nerve impulses are unique to vertebrates

Vertebrate Characteristics

Skeletal system and complex nervous system have allowed vertebrates to become efficient at two essential tasks
Vertebrae enclose a spinal cord
An elaborate skull has developed
Fin rays have developed in aquatic forms

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Explore the adaptations of the greater flamingo and the great tit, and learn about the distinctive characteristics of mammals.