Quiz: Origin of Species, Speciation, Extinction

According to the _________, a species is a population whose members can interbreed and produce fertile offspring.

• speciation concept

• biological species concept

• gene pool concept

• no one's concept

Earth once consisted of a single large landmass and one ocean. The landmass is named:

• Laurasia.

• Ultima Continenta.

• Pangaea.

• Panthalassa.

• Gondwana.

If you saw two populations of a species of snail, separated by a water-filled valley that they could not cross, you might eventually expect to see speciation due to

• behavioral isolation.

• temporal isolation.

• habitat isolation.

• mechanical isolation.

• hybrid inviability.

Species such as mice have a better chance of surviving sudden environmental change than elephants because elephants

• reproduce much more slowly than mice.

• live longer than mice.

• have a more selective diet than mice.

• eat more than mice.

• require larger habitats than mice.

The process by which new species originate

• occurred for millions of years but is no longer occurring.

• is germination.

• is extinction.

• is speciation.

• occurred only once in Earth's history.

Two species of finches found on the same Galapagos island but feeding on different food sources is an example of ________ speciation.

• outgroup

• allopatric

• postzygotic

• prezygotic

•  

  sympatric

What is the least inclusive level of the hierarchical classification scheme?

• species

• kingdom

• genus

• phylum

• domain

Humans are placed into what kingdom and domain, respectively?

• Chordata, Archaea

• Archaea, Animalia

• Animalia, Archaea

• Eukarya, Animalia

• Animalia, Eukarya

Postzygotic isolation barriers prevent

• male gametes from joining with female gametes.

• a hybrid embryo from developing into a fertile adult.

• formation of gametes by one of the parents.

• fertilization.

• All answers are correct.

Biologists divide mechanisms of reproductive isolation into