Exploring Phylogeny in Evolution

Who is known as the father of taxonomy?

• James Watson

• Gregor Mendel

• Charles Darwin

• Carl Linnaeus

What does binomial nomenclature refer to?

• A system using a two-name naming format

• The classification of organisms into two domains

• The division of life into two kingdoms

• A method to identify two main characteristics of an organism

Which of the following is not a domain of life as per current taxonomy?

• Eukaryota

• Archaea

• Bacteria

• Protozoa

What is the primary focus of phylogeny?

• Genetic mutations

• Organism behavior

• Evolutionary history

• Physical characteristics

According to the endosymbiotic theory, how did eukaryotes evolve?

• Through external environmental changes

• From multicellular organisms

• Through mutation of prokaryotes

• By one prokaryote engulfing another

What does a phylogenetic tree represent?

• Species population size

• Evolutionary relationships

• Geographical distribution of species

• The food chain

How are species that share a more recent common ancestor represented in a phylogenetic tree?

• Closer to the root

• At the top of the tree

• Closer together on the same branch

• With larger leaves

What principle do evolutionary biologists try to use when constructing phylogenetic trees?

• Maximum accuracy

• Maximum complexity

• Maximum parsimony

• Maximum diversity

What is NOT a correct way to interpret phylogenetic trees?

• As a representation of evolutionary ladders

• As hypotheses based on shared characteristics

• As diagrams showing evolutionary relationships

• As tools to predict relatedness between species

What does the principle of maximum parsimony imply?

• Choosing the tree with the most branches

• Selecting the simplest explanation with the least assumptions

• Preferring the tree that shows the most species

• Opting for the tree with the most complex relationships