2018 STAAR Biology Reporting Category 3

Scientists can determine relatedness among organisms by comparing partial amino acid sequences. The table shows four partial amino acid sequences from four organisms.

• Organism 1

• Organism 2

• Organism 3

• Organism 4

A student used a microscope to study four members of the phylum Ciliophora. Members of this phylum move when propelled by hundreds of tiny cilia.

• families

• species

• kingdoms

• orders

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The white cattail is a hybrid species of plant that is a result of the cross between the broad-leaved cattail and the narrow-leaved cattail. Over time, the white cattail has established itself in the wetlands of Midwestern states.

Which of these explains the success of the white cattail?

• Favorable genes from parental generations provide advantageous characteristics to the hybrid species.

• Hybridization produces offspring traits that allow different species to survive in extreme environments.

• Inherited traits passed on from parental generations make hybrid species more susceptible to disease.

• Hybrid species display more adaptations due to their reduced genetic diversity.

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Adaptations that result from natural selection are expected to increase the fitness of an organism. In terms of natural selection, which of the following best describes fitness?

• Being able to escape from predators
• Being among the strongest organisms in a population
• Being able to survive, find a mate, and produce offspring
• Being able to survive long enough to reach the adult stage

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The relationships among different orders of millipedes are shown in the cladogram.

• Stemmiulida is more closely related to Merocheta than Penicillata is to Merocheta.

• Spirostreptida is more closely related to Glomerida than Sphaerotheriida is to Glomerida

• Polyzoniida is more closely related to Glomeridesmida than Sphaerotheriida is to Glomeridesmida.

• Merocheta is more closely related to Glomeridesmida than Glomerida is to Glomeridesmida.

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The image shows part of the humerus bone in different genera of primates.

• The primates lived in similar environments.

• The primates shared a common ancestor.

• The primates interbreed with similar organisms in a population.

• The primates had diets that consisted of similar types of foods.

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