Animals Test
Students will have 50 minutes to complete the exam. Choose the best possible answer for
each question. There are 10 multiple choice questions, 1 cladogram, 4 short answer and 1
essay. You may answer the questions in any order. Please feel free to write on the exam.
Good luck.
Note: Exam worth 80 points
Part 1: Multiple Choice (3 points each) Circle the best possible answer for each question.
1. The forelimbs of a cat and human have become adapted for different functions. However,
the forelimbs of both are constructed from the same basic skeletal elements. This is an
example of what kind of structure?
a. Analogous
b. Homologous
c. Shared Derived Structure
d. Shared Primitive Structure
2. Hair is a characteristic shared by all mammals, but is NOT found in nonmammalian
vertebrates. Which of the following would hair best be categorized?
a. Shared primitive character within a clade.
b. Shared derived character outside of a particular clade.
c. Shared derived character within a particular clade
d. Shared primitive character outside of a clade.
3. Which of the following is an example of an abiotic factor?
a. Disease
b. Predators
c. Temperature
d. Competition
4. Which of the following best describes what a shared derived character is:
a. A character that is shared beyond the taxon we are trying to define.
b. An evolutionary novelty unique to a particular clade.
c. The backbone in vertebrates being a homologous structure.
d. All of the above.
5. How is taxonomy used to organize animals?
a. Taxonomy uses categories based on a set of characteristics used to assess
similarities and differences.
b. Taxonomy uses evolutionary relationships to help organize ordered divisions of
organisms.
c. Taxonomy is not used to organize animals.
d. Only a and b are true.
6. What is the correct way for a biologist to name a species when communicating about
their research?
a. Panthera pardus
b. panthera Pardus
c. Panthera pardus
d. Panthera Pardus
7. How is hierarchical classification used to organize species?
a. The species are ranked in alphabetical order.
b. There is no special way of organizing, species are grouped at random.
c. Species are placed into groups belonging to more comprehensive groups.
d. Species are grouped according to just their size.
8. What is the correct arrangement for hierarchical classification?
a. Families into orders, orders into classes, phyla into kingdoms, and kingdoms into
domains.
b. Families into orders, classes into orders, phyla into kingdoms, and kingdoms into
domains.
c. Families into orders, classes into orders, phyla into domains, and domains into
kingdoms.
d. None of the above are in the proper arrangement.
9. What does taxonomy refer to?
a. Counting the number of species there are in the world.
b. Naming the different forms of life.
c. Classifying the different forms of life.
d. Both b and c
10. What is NOT a biotic factor?
a. disease
b. predator
c. parasites
d. chemical and physical factors
Part 2: Fill-in the cladogram (10 points) Use the character table to help construct the
cladogram and answer the questions that follow. A 0 indicates that the character is absent, while
a 1 represents the presence of that trait. Every taxa should be used.
Taxa
Character
Hair
Amniotic
egg
Four
walking legs
Hinged jaws
Backbone
Lamprey
(jawless
aquatic
vertebrate)
0
0
Leopard
Turtle
Salamander
Tuna
Worm
1
1
1
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
1
1
1
1
0
0
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
0
0
Hair
Amniotic
egg
Backbone
Four
walking
Hinged jaw legs
Part 3 Cladogram questions (2 points each)
1. Which two species have the most similarities and how can you tell?
2. Does this cladogram demonstrate derived characters, or shared characters? Explain how
you know.
3. Based off the cladogram which two species are most closely related?
4. According to the cladogram, which trait separates the leopard from the rest of the species
listed?
Part 4 Matching 10 points: Please place the letter of the choices provided next to the
description.
Used to tell an evolutionary
story given fossil evidence.
Reflected in the branching of
phylogenetic trees.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Cladogram
Phylogenetic Tree
Hierarchical Classification
Homologous Traits
Analogous Traits
Classifies organisms based
off of shared ancestry.
Features that are used for the
same function.
Features similar internal
structure.
Part 5 Essay (22 points) Please include answers to every part of the question. Include
specific details and examples from class and readings. Partial credit will be awarded so
answer each as best you can.
List three of the four major threats to biodiversity; describe what each one is and why it is a
threat to biodiversity. Provide an example of a species discussed in class for each threat. In
addition, list any abiotic or biotic factors that are included in the threats.