Evolutionary History Study Guide

Marcel is analyzing a model to show the embryonic development of some organisms. He wonders how the development of a frog, an amphibian, will compare to these other organisms.

Which conclusion can Marcel draw about the information shown in the model and the development of a frog?

• Only mammals, not amphibians, are able to develop from an embryo.

• The frog embryo will look more similar to the adult frog in the early stages.

• The embryos will look very similar until they begin to develop specialized organs.

• All organisms, including the frog, will look similar until they are born, because traits are determined by the environment.

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Some anatomical structures are developed by organisms as adaptations in the way that they move or in response to the particular conditions where they live. We sometimes see similar adaptations in several different organisms. Some anatomical structures seen in different organisms indicate a close evolutionary link between those organisms. Consider the similar structures in the organisms above. Which of these most likely have the closest evolutionary history?

• bats and humans

• bats and birds

• birds and insects

• birds and humans

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A student has made a model of fossils in a rock outcrop. An outcrop is an area of exposed rock that appears above the surface of surrounding land. Which statement describes the scientific fact that the student used to design this model?

• Different kinds of rock layers contain different kinds of fossils.

• Fossils appear in layers based on the relative age of the fossils.

• Fossils are heavy and sink into different layers before they turn to stone

• Lower layers of rock used to be above higher layers, so they have newer fossils.

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Research shows that the earliest mammals were land animals with legs.

Choose the correct picture of sketches of ancestor species of modern-day whales, along with fossil evidence of their tooth structure, in the correct chronological order from top to bottom (where the top is the youngest and the bottom is the oldest).

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Species adapt to a particular environment. Physical traits such as body type, shape, and types and numbers of limbs evolve. Together, evolved traits help an organism survive and reproduce. Look carefully at the physical features of each of these three ancient species. Which of the species most likely lived in the ocean? 

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Species adapt to a particular environment. Physical traits such as body type, shape, and types and numbers of limbs evolve. Together, evolved traits help an organism survive and reproduce. Look carefully at the physical features of each of these three ancient species. Which of the species most likely lived in a coastal area? 

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Species adapt to a particular environment. Physical traits such as body type, shape, and types and numbers of limbs evolve. Together, evolved traits help an organism survive and reproduce. Look carefully at the physical features of each of these three ancient species. Which of the species most likely lived in a forest? 

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The two main groups of modern-day whale species are toothed whales and baleen whales.

Toothed whales include dolphins and porpoises. They have cone-shaped teeth for catching fish. They have exceptional hearing that works well in both air and water. Toothed whales use their hearing to detect sonar signales to guide them. 

Baleen whales are typically larger than toothed whales. Instead of teeth, they have a baleen plate that filters food from the water. Some species of baleen whales have teeth as embryos, but these teeth are gone by birth. These whales do not have the same sonar capabilities as toothed whales. 

Both of these groups of whales evolved from the same common ancestor. Then, at some point, their branch split on the evolutionary tree. 

Select the correct statement that describes the order of evolution.

• The sonar capabilities used to navigate their way underwater evolved before the split.

• The baleen plate to filter food has always been a trait of whales and their ancestors.

• The appearance of a baleen plate to filter food from the water evolved after the split.

• The appearance of a baleen plate to filter food from the water evolved before the split.

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The two main groups of modern-day whale species are toothed whales and baleen whales.

Toothed whales include dolphins and porpoises. They have cone-shaped teeth for catching fish. They have exceptional hearing that works well in both air and water. Toothed whales use their hearing to detect sonar signals to guide them. 

Baleen whales are typically larger than toothed whales. Instead of teeth, they have a baleen plate that filters food from the water. Some species of baleen whales have teeth as embryos, but these teeth are gone by birth. These whales do not have the same sonar capabilities as toothed whales. 

Both of these groups of whales evolved from the same common ancestor. Then, at some point, their branches split on the evolutionary tree. 

Select the scientific evidence that supports your answer to the question about the order of evolution.

• Toothed whales have sonar capabilities.

• Baleen whales do not have sonar capabilities.

• Toothed whale species do not have baleen plates.

• Some baleen whale species have teeth as embryos.

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Hippopotamuses and whales do not look alike, yet whales are more closely related to hippopotamuses than to any other mammal. Is this statement to explain how hippopotamuses and whales are related True or False?

While they do not look like each other, both hippos and whales share traits also found in their common ancestor. The ancient species has skull and tooth traits similar to the whale as well as limb and hoof traits to those of the hippo.

• True

• False

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