18 Questions
What is the term for a shared recent homology that indicates a close relationship between two organisms?
Synapomorphy
What is the method of grouping organisms based on shared derived characters?
Cladistics
What is the relationship between the common ancestor of all tetrapods and the original vertebrate ancestor?
The common ancestor of all tetrapods is a descendant of the original vertebrate ancestor
What is the primitive state for the number of digits in vertebrates?
Five digits
Which two groups are sister clades in the diagram?
Crocodiles and birds
What can be inferred about the tetrapod clade and the ray-finned fish clade?
They share a common ancestor with the vertebrate clade
What is the relationship between the vertebrate clade and the tetrapod clade?
The tetrapod clade is a subset of the vertebrate clade
What is the meaning of 'basal' in the context of clade relationships?
A clade that contains another clade as a subset within it
What is the primary reason why cold-bloodedness should not be used to define a group in a cladistic system?
Because it is a plesiomorphy inherited from the common ancestor
What type of diagram is used to show the relationships between organisms in cladistics?
Cladogram
Why are humans not more closely related to turtles and frogs, despite sharing a homology in the number of digits?
Because humans have a more recent common ancestor with horses and donkeys
What is the term for a characteristic that is present at the base of a phylogenetic tree?
Plesiomorphy
Which of the following is an example of a shared derived character?
One digit in horses and donkeys
What is the term for a characteristic shared by members of a tree but not present in their common ancestor?
Homoplasy
What type of characteristic is having four limbs in tetrapods?
Synapomorphy
Why should mammals and birds not be grouped together based on their ability to maintain a high constant body temperature?
Because they evolved the trait independently
What is the term for a characteristic believed to have evolved within a tree?
Apomorphy
What is the primary function of a synapomorphy in a cladistic system?
To separate one group from the rest
Test your understanding of vertebrate evolution and classification, including the relationships between clades and ancestors of different species. Learn about the common ancestor of tetrapods and how they differ from ray-finned fish.
Make Your Own Quizzes and Flashcards
Convert your notes into interactive study material.
Get started for free
