Evidence of Evolution

In 1861 paleontologists announced that they had found a fossil with feathers, now known as, Archaeopteryx, which lived approximately 150 million years ago. When comparing Archaeopteryx to other small dinosaurs and modern-day birds, the paleontologists learned that Archaeopteryx had more in common with dinosaurs. The Archaeopteryx were small and had broad wings which likely gave them the ability to fly or glide. How can the Archaeopteryx fossils be used to support the theory of evolution?

• They can demonstrate that animals from long ago are still alive today.

• They show how organisms today share characteristics with fossilized species.

• They give evidence to support the idea that organisms inherit the best traits from their

  parents.

• They indicate that evolution is a theory because scientists do not completely understand

  the fossil record.

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Pictured below are different wild cats from the family Felidae, found in Africa, Europe, Asia and the Americas. They have adapted to a variety of habitats like forests, deserts, wetlands and mountains. Which statement below best explains how evolution by natural selection influenced the variation demonstrated by the cat family - Felidae?

• Different traits evolved in each species in order to adapt to the environment where they live.

• Members of Felidae do not share common ancestors so each species has their own unique traits.

• Cats have largely been unaffected by evolution because they are bred and influenced by humans.

• Different adaptations observed in Felidae are not significant enough to be influenced by natural selection.

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Anthropologists recently discovered skull fragments from a previously unknown primate. The mandible (jaw bone) of the skull is shown below along with mandibles of other known primates. Why would scientists use the fossil records to help them determine the species of the unknown primate?

• To compare the evolution of its relatives.

• To see if the fossil has the same mass as a jaw of other primates.

• To determine if the fossil has the same number of teeth as a modern primate.

• To identify evolutionary relationships between the unknown and known fossils.

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If modern organisms have a lot of homologous structures, what inference might paleontologists make about those organisms?

• They are reptiles

• The organisms have a common ancestor

• One organism evolved from the other.

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Which is not evidence for evolution?

• many animals have homologous structures due to common ancestry

• We can observe changes in life forms by observing the fossil record

• Many animals have vestigial structures from an ancestor

• All of these are evidence for evolution

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How do fossils provide evidence that evolution has happened on Earth?

• Fossils show how the sizes of certain animals has changed drastically over millions of years

• Fossils show how life forms present today are different than those from the past

• Fossils show that some species have gone extinct

• Different sedimentary rock layers provide evidence for how the environment has changed over time

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Over a long period of time the food supply for several birds on an isolated island has changed.

The original supply of insects, small tender seeds, and vegetation has shrunk while the supply

of tough, large, hard seeds has remained unchanged. Which statement below describes the

species that was most likely successful after the change in their environment?

• A species with small beaks.

• A species who lays many eggs.

• A species with high genetic variation.

• A species that has not evolved before.

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Shell color is genetic in the European large banded snail. Scientists who study these snails found that snails with a lighter colored shells have a lower body temperature than those with a darker color. Currently, the habitat of the large banded snails is warming due to climate change. What impact will climate change most likely have on the population of the large banded snails?

• They will evolve into a new species without a protective shell.

• Their shells will get lighter, because their environment will be hotter.

• Their shells will get darker so they can absorb more energy from the sun.

• They will go extinct as they are unable to adapt to their changing environment.

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Pictured above is Astyanax mexicanus, a type of freshwater fish found in caves and other underground habitats across Mexico and the southern part of the United States. Both the surface and cavefish belong to the same species, but unlike the surface fish, the cavefish has no eyes. How can the survival of the cavefish population be explained?

• Cavefish population has survived in caves without eyes because it is an adaptation to the

  environment.

• A cavefish produced offspring after having lost its eyes in an injury and changed the

  population overtime.

• The surface was too bright and predators were catching them, so they adapted to be

  transparent in color.

• Cavefish were too far away from sunlight, causing problems in their development and

  changing their appearance.

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Which of the following statements best explains why genetic variation is important to the survival of a population?

• Genetic variation decreases gene flow in the population.

• Genetic variation decrease the likelihood of genetic mutation.

• Genetic variation increases the size of animals so that more offspring will be produced.

• Genetic variation increases the likelihood of an allele being present that is best suited for

  the environment.

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