Evidences of Common Ancestry

Which statement is supported by this cladogram?

• Hippopotamuses are more closely related to cows than to javelinas.

• Toothed whales are more closely related to mouse deer than to hippopotamuses.

• Javelinas and pigs are more closely related than baleen whales and toothed whales.

• Cows and mouse deer are more closely related than javelinas and pigs.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Which organism is the LEAST related to the other three organisms?

• Organism 1

• Organism 2

• Organism 3

• Organism 4

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NGSS.HS-LS4-1

Which statement is best supported by the observable structures of the different humerus

• 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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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Which conclusion about the relatedness of the lizards do these data support?

• G. atlantica and G. stehlini are the least closely related.

• G. simonyi and G. bravoana are the most closely related.

• G. galloti eisentrauti and G. galloti palmae are the most closely related.

• G. galloti eisentrauti and G. galloti galloti are the least closely related.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Which statement provides the best evidence that Ambulocetus natans is an ancestor of Basilosaurus isis?

• Homologous structures occur in each fossil.

• Similar nitrogenous bases are found in the DNA of each fossil.

• The fossils were found in different locations.

• The youngest fossil is larger than the older fossils.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Bactrian camels, dromedaries, llamas, and alpacas are all members of the same taxonomic family, Camelidae. Members of this family all have two toes, no hooves, true canine teeth, and a split upper lip. The family Camelidae originated in North America. The physical features of animals in this family and the family's geographical origin provide evidence that all these animals —

• live in the same type of ecosystem

• have slowly evolved to become herbivores

• have a common ancestor

• exchanged DNA at some point in the past

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

In 2010, scientists excavated a skull fossil that provides evidence of a newly discovered species of big cat. Based on the evidence, scientists hypothesize that big cats branched off from smaller wild cats about 6 million years ago. Which of these resources did the scientists most likely rely on to form their hypothesis?

• A food web showing feeding relationships of organisms where the fossil skull was found

• Population and migration data for small wild cats living in the ecosystem where the skull was found

• The fossil record and DNA comparisons of big cats and small cats

• The historical record of interactions between different species of big cats

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Which statement is best supported by the information in this dendrogram?

• Lesser pandas are more genetically similar to giant pandas than they are to raccoons.

• Brown bears are more genetically similar to giant pandas than they are to sun bears.

• Lesser pandas are more genetically similar to raccoons than they are to giant pandas.

• The bear species are all more genetically similar to dogs than they are to giant pandas.

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NGSS.HS-LS4-1

NGSS.HS-LS4-2

Which statement about the ancestry of the lizards from the genus Gallotia is best supported by this information?

• The common ancestor of the lizards first colonized the island of El Hierro.

• The ancestors of each species came from different continents at different times.

• The common ancestor of the lizards probably came from Africa.

• The ancestors of each species evolved in Spain and were brought to the islands at the same time.

The fact that both these mammals incubate their immature offspring in a pouch provides evidence that they —

• belong to the same species

• must range great distances to eat

• have very similar skeletal structures

• are descended from a common ancestor

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-2