Adaptations & Traits

1. A ptarmigan’s feathers change from brown in the summer to white in the winter. An Arctic hare’s fur changes from brown or gray in the summer to white in the winter. In which environment are animals with this adaptation best suited?

• Tundra
• Rainforest
• Desert
• Ocean

2. The barrel cactus can expand and contract similar to a balloon! During rain, the barrel cactus’s volume increases to store water. As they use up the water, their volume decreases. When it rains again, the cactus expands. What characteristic of the environment does the adaptation described help the barrel cactus adapt to?

• Flooding
• Icy conditions
• Strong winds
• Drought

3. Which organism is a vertebrate, an organism with a spine?

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4. The Jackson’s chameleon is an insect-eating reptile that lives in mountain forests. Unlike most other chameleons, female Jackson’s chameleons give birth to their babies. The babies are born brown but turn green. Males have three horns. Females have no horns. All Jackson’s chameleons have a curled prehensile tail. What characteristic of the Jackson’s chameleon is used by a male to defend its territory?

• Its prehensile tail
• Giving live birth
• Its 3 horns
• Coloring changing from brown to green

5. Which animal’s tusks are most likely used to help them climb out from water onto the ice?

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6. Sugar gliders are marsupials from Australia that have a built in parachute. While these creatures can’t actually fly, they can glide as they leap from tree to tree. To glide, they use flaps of skin that are connected to the front and hind legs. Which organism’s structure has a similar function as the sugar glider’s skin flaps?

• A bird with wings that flap to move through the air
• A snake that can flatten its body to drop from higher trees to lower trees
• A raccoon that uses its sharp claws for protection
• A squirrel’s rotating hind feet that help it run down a tree

7. Which structure is NOT primarily used for helping an animal sense its environment?

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8. The chart describes the white-tailed deer and dama gazelle. What characteristic of the white-tailed deer helps it stay warm in a cold environment?

• Hollow hairs
• Horns
• Hooved feet
• Lack of upper teeth

9.

• Snowshoe hare
• Bat
• Lion
• Moth

10.

• 1 inherited trait and 5 acquired traits
• 2 inherited traits and 4 acquired traits
• 3 inherited traits and 3 acquired traits
• 4 inherited traits and 2 acquired traits