Evidence of Evolution and Comparative Anatomy

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Questions and Answers

Do you think the pattern of change shown by the horse teeth supports the hypothesis described above? Please explain.

Yes, because you can see a change from low crowns above the root of the tooth to a very tall crown.

According to the diagram, during the last 40 million years, the structure of the horse's foot has...

Become more elongated

Gained additional toes

Lost its toes (correct)

Stayed the same

Which layer might contain fossils of the oldest species? Why?

Bottom because they were buried 2.1 billion years ago.

Which layer might contain fossils of the youngest species? Why?

Top because they were buried 65 million years ago. Signup and view all the answers

Scientists find fossils in the layers of rock shown. One scientist suggests that the hardwood leaf fossils are older than the shell fossils. Which of the following best supports this hypothesis?

Sedimentary rock layers form in order of age, with the oldest on the bottom and more recent layers on top. Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of a human arm?

To grab. Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of a whale fin?

To swim. Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of a cat paw?

To walk. Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of a bat wing?

To fly. Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of a bird wing?

To fly. Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of crocodile webbed feet?

To paddle in the water/to walk. Signup and view all the answers

What function do the butterfly wing and the bird wing share?

Capability to fly and both are analogous. Signup and view all the answers

How do these structures differ?

Butterfly wings lack bones, while birds have bones in their wings. Butterfly wings are made of scales while bird wings are made of feathers. Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of the muscles that move ears?

Auricle. Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of the muscles that make hair stand up?

Erector pili/body hair. Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of the pinky toe?

Balance. Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of wisdom teeth?

Early diet. Signup and view all the answers

Explain why eyesight is not an important adaptation to life in a cave based on the cave fish and minnow.

If there is no light, then you can't see anything anyway—so eyes are useless. Signup and view all the answers

Which three vertebrates could you conclude are more similar to humans? Please explain.

Chimps, Gorillas, and Orangutans because they are closely related to humans anatomically and genetically. Signup and view all the answers

Which two vertebrates could you conclude are least similar to humans? Please explain.

Fish and Platypus because they are least like humans anatomically and genetically. Signup and view all the answers

Explain how the example of peppered moths in England supports evidence of evolution as an observable event.

Peppered moths evolve by natural selection. Signup and view all the answers

The peppered moths living near English industrial cities demonstrate that...

A change in an environment can result in the evolution of species living there Signup and view all the answers

Why do you think beak size is so strongly related to food availability?

Beak size is related to food availability so that different birds can feed on different foods. Signup and view all the answers

What do you think would happen if weather patterns changed and it was dry for many consecutive years?

If it was dry instead of wet, the birds with smaller beaks wouldn't survive because they can't crack open the hard seeds with their small beaks. Signup and view all the answers

These pictures show the limbs of 4 different species. The 4 species illustrated most likely have similar limb structures because they all...

Adapted to the same environmental conditions Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the relationship between the butterfly wing and the bird wing?

Analogous structures Signup and view all the answers

More than 1.5 million species of animals have been described, yet all of them have DNA that is made of the same building blocks. This is evidence that all animals have...

A common ancestor. Signup and view all the answers

A scientist in South Carolina observed that wild dogs in that area looked more like wild dingoes from Australia than domestic dogs from the United States. What evidence would best support the hypothesis that South Carolina wild dogs are more closely related to dingoes than to domestic dogs?

X-rays of the forearms from each of the 3 dog populations. Signup and view all the answers

Scientists have found many similarities in the proteins of turtles and sharks. These similarities suggest that turtles and sharks...

Have a common ancestor. Signup and view all the answers

A researcher is studying raccoons and skunks. She wants to find out how closely these 2 mammals are related. Which of these characteristics would be best for her to study?

Sequences of DNA. Signup and view all the answers

The table indicates the number of amino acids that differ in the amino acid sequence of the protein hemoglobin from selected organisms when compared to human hemoglobin. On the basis of this information, which organism would be classified as most closely related to humans?

Macaque Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Horse teeth show evolutionary change from low crowns to tall crowns, indicating adaptation over time.
Over the last 40 million years, horses have lost toe structures in their feet as a part of evolutionary change.
Fossils of the oldest species are typically found in the bottom rock layers, as they were buried around 2.1 billion years ago.
Youngest species fossils are located in the top layers, buried approximately 65 million years ago.
Sedimentary rock formation follows a chronological order, aiding in determining fossil age.

Comparative Anatomy and Function

Human arms are adapted for grabbing objects, while whale fins are designed for swimming.
Cat paws support walking, bat and bird wings provide the ability to fly.
Crocodile webbed feet serve dual purposes: paddling in water and walking on land.
Butterfly wings and bird wings both allow for flight, demonstrating analogous structures despite differences.
Distinctions between butterfly and bird wings include: butterflies lack bone structures while birds possess bones, and butterfly wings are composed of scales compared to bird wings made of feathers.

Adaptations and Evolution

Muscles that move ears are known as auricle, and those making hair stand up are called erector pili.
The pinky toe assists in balance, while wisdom teeth were useful for earlier diets.
Cave fish being blind illustrates that eyesight is unnecessary in lightless environments.
Closest relatives to humans include chimps, gorillas, and orangutans due to shared anatomy and genetics.
Fish and platypus are the least similar to humans concerning anatomy and genetic traits.

Development and Evolutionary Evidence

Vertebrate embryo development can highlight relationships among species, with significant differences among various vertebrates.
The case of peppered moths in England exemplifies natural selection, where changes in the environment drive species evolution.
Variations in beak size among birds correspond to food availability, indicating adaptive evolution based on environmental conditions.
In drought conditions, birds with larger beaks are favored for survival due to the ability to crack hard seeds.
Similar limb structures among different species suggest adaptation to similar environmental challenges.

Genetic and Protein Analysis

All described animal species share DNA made from the same building blocks, supporting the idea of a common ancestor.
A study of wild dogs in South Carolina could utilize X-rays to demonstrate evolutionary relationships to Australian dingoes.
Similar proteins in turtles and sharks indicate a common ancestor linking these two species.
Genomic studies, particularly sequences of DNA, provide crucial evidence for the relatedness of raccoons and skunks.
Amino acid comparisons reveal that macaques are most closely related to humans among the studied organisms.

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Description

Explore the fascinating evidence of evolution through fossil records and anatomical comparisons among species. This quiz covers the adaptation of horses, the chronological order of fossils, and the functional differences in anatomy such as human arms versus whale fins. Test your knowledge on how these concepts illustrate the process of evolution.