Biology STAAR Review - Reporting Category 3

A dichotomous key of different mollusks is shown. Which mollusk moves by jet propulsion and does not have an external shell?

• A Squid

• A Slug

• Nautilus

• Snail

Answer explanation

According to the dichotomous key, squids move by jet propulsion and do not have an external shell.

Blue flying fish live in the upper layers of the ocean. Blue flying fish have enlarged pectoral fins that enable them to glide for 400 meters above the ocean surface and appear to fly. Which statement best describes how natural selection led to enlarged pectoral fins in blue flying fish?

• Fish were able to glide out of the ocean and into other bodies of water to mate with other species.

• Fish were able to live both on land and in the water as a result of their larger pectoral fins.

• Fish with enlarged pectoral fins were able to glide out of the ocean to escape predators, increasing their fitness.

• Fish changed their DNA to express enlarged pectoral fins, changing the allele Frequency of the population.

Answer explanation

Natural selection led to enlarged pectoral fins in blue flying fish, allowing the fish to escape predators to survive and reproduce.

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Green anoles are lizards that can change their skin color rapidly in response to various stimuli. This adaptation is the result of -

• selective breeding of lizards by humans

• beneficial traits passed from parents to offspring

• geographic isolation that prevented genetic mutation

• environmental pollutants that changed their genotype

Answer explanation

Adaptations (like the ability to change skin color to hide from predators) are beneficial traits that are passed down from parent to offspring that help organisms survive and reproduce.

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Why is it important to assign each organism a scientific name?

• Each scientific name applies to only one species, making it universally identifiable to scientists.

• Each scientific name allows scientists to better study the behavior of an organism.

• The scientific name allows scientists to develop common names for organisms.

• The scientific name describes how an individual looks relative to others of the same genus.

Answer explanation

Each scientific name applies to one species, making it universally identifiable to scientists across languages and regions. Additionally, scientific names help scientists avoid confusion when multiple common names may be used to describe a single species.

Which characteristic do all organisms in Kingdoms Animalia, Protista, and fungi have in common?

• The are eukaryotic.

• They are prokaryotic.

• They are unicellular.

• They are multicellular.

Answer explanation

Organisms in the Animalia, Protista, and Fungi kingdoms are all part of the domain Eukarya because their cells' DNA is located inside of a nucleus.

The table shows the classification of four mammals found in Texas. Based on this table, which explanation best describes why elk and fallow deer are classified in the same genus?

• They are both in family Cervidae and share a more recent common ancestor.

• They mate and produce fertile offspring.

• They live in similar habitats.

• They are both in kingdom Animalia and have similar diets.

Answer explanation

Under the Linnaean classification system, the lower the level of classification shared by organisms, the more closely related the organisms are. Family is the classification level directly above genus. The elk and the fallow deer are both members of the family Cervidae. The peccary and the pronghorn are members of different families (Tayassuidae and Antilocapridae, respectively).

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Two scientists studied patters of evolution in the fossil record. Many species they analyzed showed period of slow changes interrupted by a period of rapid change.

This pattern of periods of slow change interrupted by periods of rapid change with few, if any transitional fossils, best describes the theory of ---

• natural selection

• genetic drift

• punctuated equilibrium

• gene flow

Answer explanation

The theory of punctuated equilibrium, devised by Niles Eldredge and Stephen Jay Gould, is characterized by periods of slow change interrupted by periods of rapid change with few transitional fossils in the fossil record.

Cross-pollination of flowers from different populations of the same species will most likely result in ---

• gene flow as new alleles are introduced

• evolution of a different species as alleles mis

• hybrid sterility as gametes from different individuals are incompatible

• a decrease of genetic variation among individuals

Answer explanation

Gene flow describes the transfer of genetic material from one population to another population. Cross-pollination of flowering plants from different populations of the same species will most likely result in a greater number of genetic combinations and an overall increase in the genetic diversity/variation within the species.

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Most animals avoid eating monarch butterflies due to their bad taste. Viceroy butterflies look very similar to monarchs.

Which of these best explains how the viceroy butterfly benefits from looking like the monarch butterfly?

• Viceroy butterflies are able to reproduce with the monarch butterflies.

• Viceroy butterflies are able to deter predators in the same way as the monarch butterflies.

• Viceroy butterflies are able to follow the migratory patterns of the monarch butterflies.

• Viceroy butterflies are able to find additional sources of food used by the monarch butterflies.

Answer explanation

The viceroy butterfly benefits from mimicking the monarch butterfly by being able to deter predators who avoid eating monarch butterflies due to their bad taste.

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A phylogenetic tree based on genetic similarities is shown.

Which numbered location on the phylogenetic tree identifies characteristics shared by Species B, C, and D?

• Location 1

• Location 2

• Location 3

• Location 4

Answer explanation

Location 2 is the branch point on the phylogenetic tree that identifies characteristics shared by Species B, C, and D.

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