1. Charles Darwin ...
a. was born over 200 years ago.
b. had a grandfather who also was an evolutionist.
c. published "The Origin of Species..." in 1859
d. went on a voyage around the world as a young man.
e. All of the above are true.
e. All of the above are true.
2. Biological evolution by natural selection ...
a. favors health and longevity over numbers of offspring produced
b. is an intrinsically progressive mechanism for biological improvement
c. did not explain how species could become adapted to their environ
d. was independently proposed by Alfred Russell Wallace
3. Charles Darwin' s theory of the process of biological evolution by natural selection was incomplete because he ...
a. lacked an understanding of how traits were passed from parents to offspring. b. did not recognize that sexual reproduction was a sourc
a. lacked an understanding of how traits were passed from parents to offspring.
4. Natural selection ...
a. is analogous to Aristotle's notion of final cause
b. was roughly modeled after the logic of selective breeding by farmers
c. is progress by lucky accident
d. was also proposed by Lamarck
e. is a fact
b. was roughly modeled after the logic of selective breeding by farmers
5. Are humans more evolved than chimpanzees? And are chimpanzees more evolved than dogs and cats? Explain.
No, each species is evolving, evolution is not linear, its tendency is to diversify and expand into niches.
6. What is misleading about the phrase "survival of the fittest" as an explanation of natural selection? How would you reinterpret it to be more accurate?
(elaborate) Those who are able to reproduce will pass on their traits. It would be more accurate to interpret it as depending on the amount of offspring produced that are "fitted" to the environment.
7. Babies who weigh below 2 kg and above 5 kg at birth have very high mortality rates. What kind of selection does this produce?
This is an example of stabilizing selection because the average is favored.
8. Name or describe a trait found in some bird species and in some mammal species that is an analogous trait; name one that is a homologous trait.
a. homologous traits: arise from the same embryonic structures. Ex: bird wing and human arm. b analogous trait: bat wing and bird wing.
1. What was a major difference between Darwin's theory and the Neo-Darwinism of the early 20th century?
When Darwin came up with his theory of evolution, he did not understand how traits were passed down through generations. While some people believed, like Lamarck, that traits were acquired through use in one's lifetime, Neo-Darwinists recognizing that gen
2. A mutation . . .
a. is damage that modifies the sequence of base pairs in a length of DNA.
b. can result in the failure of an enzyme to function properly.
c. can produce an amino acid substitution in a protein.
d. doesn't necessarily produce an effect
e. All of the above are true.
3. What are two possible general functions of proteins?
a. Can function as catalysts/enzymes because their shape captures and orients other molecules so as to increase the probability of bond formation or break-up.
b. Proteins can also act as chaperons to other molecules and move them around the body.
c. struc
4. What feature or features is most important for determining whether two groups of animals are from different species?
The feature of being able to reproduce and create offspring. For example, lions and tigers look like different species, but what reinforces this information is that they will not mate in their natural environment, such as the one where they co-inhabit in
5. The difference between dominant and recessive traits is
a. recessive traits are deleterious and dominant traits are not.
b. genes for dominant traits are passed on preferentially.
c. dominant genes produce proteins, recessive genes do not.
d. dominant
e. effects of recessive traits can be hidden by effects of dominant traits.
6. A mule is a hybrid of parents from two different species, horses and donkeys. These species have different numbers of chromosomes: horses have 32 pairs and donkeys have 31 pairs. How many chromosomes does a mule have?
63 unpaired, 31.5 paired
7. Red-green color blindness in humans is sex linked and recessive. If a male with normal vision marries a woman who is (red-green) color blind
a. the probability that each daughter will be color blind is 50%
b. the probability that each son will be color
c. the probability that each daughter will be color blind is 0%
8. Sickle cell trait is a deadly genetic disease that results from a mutation altering the hemoglobin molecule and causing blood cells to rupture. Despite this deadly effect it has been favored by natural selection in parts of Africa and South Asia. How c
The gene for sickle cell anemia is favored by natural selection in parts of Africa and South Asia because these parts of the world have high incidences of malaria a blood parasite. Malaria destroys hemoglobin containing cells as it multiplies, producing t
1. What is the "founder effect?"
Why does it limit genetic variety?
What is "genetic drift"?
In what conditions does it limit genetic variety?
a. The "founder effect" results when a few individuals colonize an isolated environment, such as an island, where there are no competitors. When a small subset of a population is cut off from its parent gene pool, its gene pool consists only of the genoty
2. What is a clade?
Can there be clades within clades?
a. Clades are lineages made up of hundreds of past and present species descended from a common ancestor.
b. The Last Common Ancestor is the point with which two different species share one similar ancestor. For example, however far back ago, birds and hum
3. In what way is the evolution of Y-Chromosome DNA like the evolution of mitochondrial DNA (and unlike the evolution of nuclear DNA)?
True or false: All living humans share a single female ancestor (dubbed mitochondrial Eve) and that all living men share
a. Y-Chromosomes are only passed on to male offspring from male parents because women do not have the Y chromosome to either pass on or receive. This is interesting because all the males can be traced by to one man, who scientists call the Y- Chromosome A
4. What evidence suggests that mitochondria arose from a different clade than animals and plants?
Because mitochondria has its own DNA which is not contained in the nucleus, it has probably evolved from a prokaryotci (which has no nucleus) and because animals and plants evolved from eukaryotic cells with a nucleus containing DNA, they most likely are
5. What is an extended phenotype? Give an example.
Phenotypes are usually seen as the observable physical feature that is under some
genetic form or influence, such as how an animal behaves in its environment. An extended phenotype is increasing the definition to include behavior or cognitive abilities, t
6. What are two evolutionary "costs" of sexual reproduction? (as compared to asexual reproduction, e.g. budding or parthenogenesis)
One evolutionary cost of sexual mating is that an organism only passes on half the genes it carries, breaking up the parent's unique genetic combination, which may have been extremely well-suited to their environment.
b. Another cost is that time and ener
7. What is anisogamy? What form of selection caused it to evolve?
a. Anisogamy is when there are two distinct forms of gametes. Sperm and ova are
the most common form of this. Specialized gametes (sex cells) evolved to become specialized for the recombination by carrying precisely half of a doubled genome, and having th
8. What conditions should select for hermaphroditic reproduction (an individual who produces both kinds of gametes)? Why?
A condition in which hermaphroditic reproduction is advantageous is when an animal has constricted mobility, such as some mollusks, snails, and animals that "attach" themselves, like barnacles. With limited mobility, these animals have trouble finding and
9. Can sexual selection ever work to produce traits that are harmful to the health or survival of the individual who exhibits them? Explain with an example.
Yes. Male peacocks display their tails, which are extremely brightly colored.
The more eye-spots and the longer the tails, the more they are found attractive to females. These traits, however, put male peacocks at great risk of being noticed by surroundin
1. What is sexual dimorphism? Give an example.
Sexual dimorphism is when there are different body structures between males and females. Males often are larger in size than females, because males often engage in competition to gain female mates.
2. Is monogamous reproduction more common in birds or in mammals? Why?
Monogamous reproduction is more common in birds than mammals. Birds often mate in monogamous pairs, in which both males and females look very similar to each other and mutually court each other. Because both mates put energy into raising their offspring,
3. "All other things being equal?" Describe the social, environmental and/or physiological conditions that:
a. are likely to promote polygyny. b. are likely to promote monogamy.
a. Are likely to promote polygyny:
i. Polygyny is where multiple females live with either one or multiple males.
ii.Living in a group you can exploit the food-finding abilities of others.
iii. Group living helps nonhuman primates avoid predators, sometime
4. Under what conditions is a helper at the nest strategy most likely to evolve?
A helper at the nest strategy will evolve in environments where nest sites are at a premium, such as in the desert. The larger the clan, the better the nest site they can cooperatively defend. Helpers at the nest postpone reproduction in the short term at
5. Provide a likely evolutionary explanation for why adults in the following species regularly commit infanticide.
a. male lions
b. female Lilly Trotters (Ja�anas)
a. Male Lions
i. Infanticide is the killing of infants. It is a reproductive strategy by otherwise bachelor males. There can be intense competition for pride takeover, and takeover requires getting rid of offspring.
b. Jacanas
i. Jacanas are a rare case o
6. What are three prerequisites for the evolution of reciprocal altruism? 4?...
a. Low cost to giving aid
b. High benefit of aid
c. Long-term association allowing ample time to reciprocate and assess reciprocation
d. Punishments for those who don't reciprocate
7. Eusociality and haplo-diploidy are often (though not always) correlated because:
a. Males have fathers but females don't
b. being able to control the sex of offspring allows parents to regulate the amount of
cooperation
c. it allows high levels of inbr
? e. a worker can have more of her genes passed on in a new sister than in an offspring of her own
8. Eusociality is also found in termites and in naked mole rats, even though these are diplo-diploid species. What unusual genetic circumstance is thought to contribute to eusociality in these species?
a. These colonies inbreed generation upon generation
9. List or describe three features found in almost all primates, but in few other mammals.
i. Opposable thumbs and big toes
ii.Forward facing eyes with orbital enclosure
iii. Young are usually carried
iv. Flattened nails (with exceptions)
10. Describe one difference that distinguishes the skulls of lorises and lemurs from the skulls of monkey and apes.
? lemurs have postorbital bars on their skull while monkeys and apes do not (postorbital plate)
11. Body size and diet are related in primates. What form of diet is mostly associated with small body size? What form of diet typically requires a large body size?
a. Many small-bodied primates are insect-eaters. Often, they eat insects because they are physically smaller and need less food to survive on as opposed to a larger animal who needs more food to sustain them. But more than that, insects are highly nutriti
12. Name a primate species where there is extensive paternal care of offspring. Name a species in which there is almost no paternal care of offspring. (common names OK)
a. tamarian
13. High sexual dimorphism in body size in primates is generally associated with what other physical trait?
a. Some primates are sexually dimorphic in coloration. Males have a colorful face, while females' coloring is duller.
b. In baboons, the males have much larger canine teeth than the females of that species. Because they live in multi-male, multi-female gr
14. Name a primate species in which infanticide has been regularly observed (common name OK). Under what circumstances does this tend to occur?
a. Langur monkeys have been recorded to kill their babies. This is probably because the Langur monkeys live in one-male or multi-male groups, and the infanticide occurs
in one-male groups. Bachelor males come into the group and try to oust the males in po
15. Describe one physical difference that distinguishes Platyrrines from Catarrhines.
Platyrrines have flat noses, while catarrhines have hooked noses. Both are liniages of anthropoids.
1. The primate order is generally split into two major groups, the prosimians and the
anthropoid primates. Name the three major groups within each of these two suborders and the continents (and one island) on which they are found
Prosimians: Lemurs (Madagascar); Lorises (Asia and Africa); Tarsiers (Asia)
Anthropoids: New World Monkeys (South America); Old World Monkeys (Africa and Asia); Apes (Africa and Asia)
2. Name a species (common name OK) that shares a common ancestor with all primates
but not with rodents, carnivores, or ungulates (hoofed mammals). Hint: a member of an immediate out-group.
Flying lemurs, Colugo from Southeast Asia. It is neither a primate nor a bat.
3. Body size and diet are related in primates. What dietary specializations are mostly
associated with small body size? What dietary specializations are mostly associated with large body size?
a. Many small-bodied primates are insect-eaters. Often, they eat insects because they are physically smaller and need less food to survive on as opposed to a larger animal who needs more food to sustain them. But more than that, insects are highly nutriti
4. Monkeys that eat mostly leaves often have specialized stomachs and intestines. Typically this involves complex stomachs or complex large intestines, in comparison to primates that mostly eat fruit. What do these specializations provide (i.e. what is sp
a. Leaves are very difficult to digest, and primates, specifically colobines, must adapt a specialized digestive tract so they can consume large amounts of high-fiber, low- quality leaves and derive maximum nutrients from them. Also, some specialized dige
5. Describe one difference in locomotion that distinguishes Old World Monkeys from prosimians.
Old World monkeys have equal arm and leg length, rigid lumbar spine, a horizontal body and 4 grasping hands.
Prosimians: ______________________
6. Describe two features shared by most ape bodies that represent adaptations to a suspensory mode of locomotion.
a. Many apes' arms have a full range of motion that allows them to suspend from trees from their arms. Their bodies have adapted to allow for this fuller range of motion. One adaptation is that the rib cage gets smaller at the top, and this gives the shou
7. Describe one specialization of the gibbon body that is shared with spider monkeys and which contributes to the unusually efficient brachiation in both species.
a. gibbon: Their arms are greatly elongated and their hands permanently hooked, allowing the animal to swing like a pendulum.
b. spider: prehensile tails & hooked hands
small body size and upright vertical spines
8. Describe the major mode of terrestrial (i.e. ground) locomotion for chimpanzees and gorillas? How is this different than macaque or baboon terrestrial locomotion?
a. Chimpanzees and gorillas walk using all four limbs, as they have terrestrial quadrupedalism. They have more complex digestive systems that allows them to eat leaves, so they are not required to swing through the trees to find fruit to survive. Larger a
9. Describe a compensatory structural adaptation of the skeleton of the trunk that aids terrestrial locomotion in the great apes but is quite different than what is found in most monkeys.
a. Monkeys - Rigid lumbar spine: vertebrates fused together. b. Great Apes - their pelvis is elongated and they have a lower rib cage (back support)
10. How do gibbons move on the ground most of the time? What factors contribute to this difference compared to orangutans, chimpanzees, and gorillas?
a. Gibbons' bodies are well adapted for a highly arboreal existence of brachiating among and hanging beneath tree limbs. They have long arms, extremely elongated fingers, shortened thumbs, and a suspensory shoulder designed for living in trees.Their diet
1. Describe two major differences in the skeleton of a typical ape and an old world monkey that are associated with their different modes of locomotion.
a. Apes have a dorsal scapula, which means they have a rotating, mobile shoulder that allows them to swing their arms and hang from branches. Monkeys have lateral scapulae, meaning their arms move back and forth, and they get around by jumping from the br
2. Describe an example of social transmission in a monkey species.
b. An example of a socially transmitted behavior in monkeys is the macaques. They learned to wipe off the sand from a piece of sweet potato found on a beach through observation.
3. Describe three examples of tool making and/or use observed in populations of wild chimpanzees.
a. (cracking nuts with wood) An example of a socially transmitted behavior in chimpanzees is cracking nuts. The chimpanzees do not teach their young how to use a hammer and anvil to crack nuts, and instead the young chimpanzees learn through observation,
4. Describe two major differences between chimpanzee and bonobo social behavior.
a. Chimpanzee males stay in their natal group and form a kin coalition that defends
territory in which mostly unrelated female and their young forage. Male hierarchy and aggression between neighboring troops involve male aggression, and in some cases kill
5. What are the major differences that distinguish gibbon reproductive patterns from that of the orangutans, chimpanzees, and gorillas? How does this relate to differences in their feeding ecologies?
a. Gibbons are pair-bonding with both male and female caring for offspring and defending territory. Both are needed for both functions. None of the great apes can be considered pair-bonding, males provide minimal parental care, mating is largely polygynou
6. When orangutan males reach adulthood and become territorial they develop sexually dimorphic features that probably play a role in dominance display to rival males. What are these changes in their body and why might they appear potentially threatening t
a. Orangutans develop fat pouches on their cheeks, throat, and head. This is potentially threatening, because from far away, these orangutans look much larger and more menacing: these fat pouches are a threat display that warns other males to stay away. A
7. For their body size male chimpanzees have extremely large testes and gorillas have very small testes. How might the differences in mating systems in these species help explain the evolution of these differences in relative testes size?
a. Chimpanzees have larger testes because they live in multi-male groups, whereas gorillas live in groups with a single dominant male, where there is less competition for females.
8. Both chimpanzee and savanna baboon males are known to form coalitions. In what ways are these coalitions similar and in what ways are they different in the two species?
a. Chimpanzees will form coalitions to cooperatively defend a territory and hunt together. Most males in a troop will be related, since males stay in the same troop in which they are born. Coalitions among chimpanzees reduce male-male aggression and leads
9. Chimpanzee females provide very obvious physical signals of sexual receptivity during the time around ovulation. Not only does their perineal skin turn bright pink and swell up, they also actively solicit copulations from males that are nearby. This is
a. Baboons exhibit large estrus swelling, as do chimpanzees. Estrus swelling is useful for these primates because a mate is not a guarantee. For example, with chimpanzees, because they leave their home to mate outside the group, the estrus swelling is a g
10. Name a mammal commonly hunted and eaten by chimpanzees.
a. Chimpanzees commonly hunt red colobus monkeys. They will chase the prey and
coral them, creating a trap. They hunt cooperatively together, because trapping the
colobus takes a lot of cooperation among individuals.
11. Describe an activity that pair-bonded gibbons (both males and females) engage in to define
and defend their territory from neighboring gibbons.
sing duets
12. Chimpanzees are also territorial. How do chimpanzee troops defend their territories?
a. Chimpanzee males will band together to defend their territories. These males will be related as they stay in the same troop in which they are born.
13. When chimpanzees reach sexual maturity which sex tends to leave the territory that they
grew up in?
a. Females tend to leave their natal troop around puberty to join nearby male territories.
14. Infanticide has regularly been reported among chimpanzees. Describe a context in which chimpanzee infanticide is likely.
When a female moves into a new troop, she is in young adulthood. If she is carrying an infant or is pregnant with a baby that has been conceived outside of the group, the males and females will be extremely aggressive and injure or even kill the infant sh