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Modern Classification

Total questions: 20

Worksheet time: 10mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

The most important difference between classification during the time of Linnaeus and current classification is that organisms are now grouped according to their

a)

fossil relationships.

b)

size relationships.

c)

ecological relationships.

d)

evolutionary relationships.

2.

A diagram that shows evolutionary relationships among species is called a

a)

cladogram

b)

derived characters

c)

monophyletic

d)

phylogeny

3.

Lions and ocelots have retractable claws, but foxes do not. We can conclude that

a)

lions and foxes are more closely related than lions and ocelots.

b)

lions and ocelots are more closely related than lions and foxes.

c)

the unretractable fox claw is a derived characteristic.

d)

foxes are completely unrelated to lions or ocelots.

4.

A clade contains

a)

all organisms with similar appearances.

b)

organisms living within the same ecosystem.

c)

an ancestral species and all the organisms that came before it.

d)

an ancestral species and all its descendants.

5.

If two species have similar DNA sequences but different observable characteristics,

a)

they are not closely related.

b)

scientists need to re-examine the DNA evidence.

c)

the species are more closely related than their appearances imply.

d)

they could not have shared a recent common ancestor.

6.

A single common ancestor and all of its descendants is considered a...

a)

phylogenetic group

b)

monophyletic group

c)

taxon

d)

clade

7.

A group of species of species that includes a single common ancestor and all of descendants

a)

clade

b)

taxa

c)

monophyletic group

d)

phylogenetic group

8.

The splitting point on a cladogram is considered a...

a)

clade

b)

derived character

c)

root

d)

node

9.

A trait that arose in the most recent common ancestor of a group and was passed on to its descendants

a)

clade

b)

cladogram

c)

derived characters

d)

node

10.

Why must scientific be carful about using the absence of traits?

a)

Distantly related groups can sometimes lose the same trait

b)

It doesn't give accurate DNA analysis

c)

Distantly related groups can sometimes gain the same trait

d)

Losing a trait tells use nothing about an organism

11.

The goal of modern classification is to....

a)

understand the relationships among certain living organisms

b)

understand the relationships among all living things on Earth

c)

understand the similarities and differences of organisms

d)

understanding the similarities of biogeographical habitats

12.

Homologous genes in two organisms can tell use...

a)

the similarities and differences in appearance

b)

how closely related organisms are to each other

c)

what genes mutated

d)

the genetic make up of the organism

13.

A specific trait that is used to construct a cladogram is called a...

a)

derived character

b)

clade

c)

structural feature

d)

taxon

14.

A branch of a cladogram that consists of a single common ancestor and all of its descendants is called

a)

cladistics

b)

a clade

c)

a kingdom

d)

a class

15.

Which groups share derived character 1

a)

A and B

b)

A and C

c)

B and C

d)

A, B and C

16.

Which descendant doesn't share any derived characters?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

None they all share 1 derived character

17.

Which of the following groups shares the most recent common ancestor?

a)

Mosses and ferns

b)

cone-bearing plants and ferns

c)

cone-bearing plants and flowering plants

d)

Mosses and flowering plants

18.

Which derived character appeared first during the course of the plants' evolution

a)

embryo

b)

vascular tissue

c)

seeds

d)

flowers

19.

Which derived character most recently appeared during the plants' evolution?

a)

seeds

b)

flowers

c)

vascular tissue

d)

embryo

20.

If species A and B have very similar genes, which of the following statements is probably true?

a)

Species A and B shared a relatively recent common ancestor

b)

Species A evolved independently of species B for a long period

c)

Species B is older than species A

d)

Species A is older than species B