Evolutionary History

Front

This fossil snake and this living rat both have a structure in their skull called the quadrate bone. What best explains why both species have a quadrate bone?

Back

The snake and rat both share the same ancestor population that had a quadrate bone. They inherited this structure from the ancestor population.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Front

This fossil bird and this living salamander both have tails. However, they have different tail structures. The bird has a very short tail made of just one bone that helps it have a light skeleton for flying. The salamander has a long tail with many bones that helps it balance while it runs. What most likely explains why both the bird and salamander have tails and why the tails are different?

Back

The salamander and bird both inherited tails from a shared ancestor population, but this population separated into different environments. In each environment, different types of tails evolved, which helped the populations survive.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Front

This bandicoot, this sea lion, and this zebra have similarities and differences in their body structures. What does the information about these structures tell you about the ancestors of these species?

Back

All three species share an ancestor population, but sea lions and zebras share a more recent ancestor population. This is why neither shares the pouch structure for their babies.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Front

What does this diagram show?
Options:
1. All three species share a common ancestor, but the African elephant and Sumatran tiger are more closely related to each other than they are to the Norway rat.
2. All three species share a common ancestor, but the Sumatran tiger and Norway rat are more closely related to each other than they are to the African elephant.
3. The Sumatran tiger, African elephant, and Norway rat are not related and come from separate lines of evolutionary history.
4. All three species share a common ancestor and are equally related to each other.

Back

All three species share a common ancestor, but the Sumatran tiger and Norway rat are more closely related to each other than they are to the African elephant.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Front

Why do both a living jumping spider and a fossil eurypterid have chelicerae, a body structure used for eating?

Back

The jumping spider and eurypterid both share the same ancestor population that had chelicerae. They inherited this structure from the ancestor population.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Front

Why do sea anemone and ctenophore both have tentacles, and why are they different?

Back

Sea anemone and ctenophore both inherited tentacles from a shared ancestor population, but this population separated into different environments. In each environment, different types of tentacles evolved, which helped the populations survive.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Front

What does the information about the body structures of the red-eared slider, greater flamingo, and siamang tell you about their ancestors?

Back

All three species share an ancestor population, but the red-eared slider and the greater flamingo share a more recent ancestor population. This is why they share the egg-laying structure.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Front

Why did the body structures of a population of green herons change to make them taller?

Back

Their environment must have changed.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS1-5

NGSS.MS-LS4-4

Front

This living manta ray and this fossil shark both have a skeleton made of cartilage (which is softer than bone). What best explains why both species have a skeleton like this?

Back

The manta ray and shark both share the same ancestor population that had a cartilage skeleton. They inherited this structure from the ancestor population.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Front

Why do both the octopus and surf clam have mantles, and why are they different?

Back

The octopus and surf clam both inherited the mantle structure from a shared ancestor population, but this population separated into different environments. In each environment, different types of mantle evolved, which helped the populations survive.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2