NAME:
LECTURE EXAM 1
BIOL 425 Mammalogy
Oct. 13, 2010
Section I. Matching (2 points each, 20 pts total).
Match the terms on the left (by
writing the corresponding letter or number on the lines provided) with the short definitions or
descriptions on the right.
1.__E___
Intraspecific variation
A
2.__G___
Historical biogeography
B
3.__A__
Island rule
C
4.__F__
The selfish herd theory
D
5.__J___
Sympatric
E
6.__H___
Specialist
F
7.__B__
Bergmann’s rule
G
8.__C__
Keystone predator
H
9.__D___
Senescence
I
10.__I___ Speciation
J
Large mammals are smaller and small
mammals are bigger.
Body size of mammals increases with
latitude
A species exerting controlling forces over
a community
Fecundity gradually decreases and
mortality rates increase
Morphological, physiological, behavioral,
and spatial differences within a species.
Aggregating reduces an individual’s
chance of being caught by a predator.
Evaluates changes in species ranges over
evolutionary time.
A species that is particularly vulnerable
to fragmentation
In North America, partially caused by
continental ice sheets.
When the ranges of two similar species
overlap
Section II. True or False (2 points each, 20 pts total)
1. T
or
F
A unique characteristic of modern mammals is a 4-chambered heart
with a functional left aortic arch.
2. T
or
F
Mammals became more abundant than dinosaurs in the tertiary
period.
3. T
or
F
To prepare for winter, the % body fat of Alaskan caribou commonly
exceeds 10%
4. T
or
F
All teeth of modern mammals are dyphodont and heterodont.
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5. T
or
F
Mammal diversity generally decreases with an increase in latitude
and a decrease in elevation.
6. T
or
F
Despite upcoming lactation costs, female caribou may space out
before giving birth into areas without forage.
7. T
or
F
While most animals provide no care for their offspring, one or both
parents provide at least some care in all mammal species.
8. T
or
F
“K” selected species usually have larger body size, slow development,
and high mortality rates compared to “r” selected species.
9. T
or
F
Fat reserves of caribou and moose bulls in Alaska peak in October and
slowly deplete through the winter.
10. T or F
Over time, wild caribou from North America were eventually
domesticated and renamed reindeer.
Section III. Multiple Choice (2 points each, 20 pts total)
1. Which of the following is a unique (not common) characteristic of modern mammals?
a. Endothermy
b. Give birth to live young
c. Enucleated red blood cells
d. Sprawling gait
2. Which were the first group of amniotes to radiate widely in terrestrial habitats?
a. Therapsids
b. Synapsids
c. Pelycosaurs
d. Cynodonts
3. During the evolution of mammals, the formation of which of the following allowed for
more efficient transfer of oxygen.
a. Mammary glands
b. Secondary palate
c. Corpus callosum
b. Cheekteeth
4. Which of the following faunal regions has the fewest endemic Families of mammals?
a. Neotropical
b. Australian
c. Nearctic
d. Palearctic
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5. Which mode of mammal communication has the following signal properties: Long range,
slow fade out time, and works well at night.
a. Touch (tactile)
b. Sound (auditory)
c. Vision (visual)
d. Odor (olfactory)
6. Although monogamy is rare in mammals, most instances of this mating system are found
in which Orders?
a. Carnivora & Artiodactyla
b. Primates & Carnivora
c. Perissodactyla & Primates
d. Perissodactyla & Artiodactyla
7. In the absence of interspecific competition, a species may occupy an area that includes
all the potential resources in its environment. This area may be referred to which of the
following?
a. biological niche
b. realized niche
c. fundamental niche
d. sympatric niche
8. Around when did moose arrive in Alaska?
a. 4000 yrs ago
b. 14,000 yrs ago
c. 40,000 yrs ago
d. 140,000 yrs ago
9. Radioactive carbon C14 decays to?
a. C12
b. N14
c. C13
d. N13
10. Most mammals have which types of survivorship curves?
a. Type I and II
b. Type III and II
c. Type I and III
d. Type III only
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Section IV. Fill in the blank (2 points each, 20 pts total)
1. Class Mammalia is of the subphylum __VERTEBRATA_________________.
2. Jaw articulation between the dentary and the __SQUAMOSAL______________ is a diagnostic
feature of living mammals.
3. Mammals evolved from the last group of Therapsids to go extinct. That nearly
“mammal-grade” group was the ___CYNODONTS______________________.
4. The Nearctic faunal region has 2 endemic families. The common names of 2 species
within these Families are the __PRONGHORN_ and the _MOUNTAIN BEAVER___.
5. In Eurasia, wild Rangifer tarandus are called __REINDEER___________________, while
domesticated Rangifer tarandus are called ___ REINDEER ______________.
6. Male defense of good habitat important to females is an example of ___RESOURCE _______
defense polygyny.
7. Name 2 large mammal species that were present in Alaska in the Pleistocene epoch but
are now extinct worldwide? ___ WOOLLY MAMMOTH, MASTODON, HELMETED MUSKOX,
GIANT GROUND SLOTH, SABER-TOOTHED CAT, SHORT-FACED BEARS ARE GOOD
ANSWERS; STEPPE LIONS AND STEPPE BISON ARE QUESTIONABLE: HAD THESE
ALREADY SPECIATED FROM THE ANCESTORS OF PRESENT-DAY LIONS AND BISON?_____
8. Moose and __HUMANS ____(mammal species) crossed the Bering Land Bridge at the same
time. This was the only other mammal species that came across at the same time moose
did.
9. All, or almost all of the large caribou herds in North America migrate from wintering
areas in the _____BOREAL FOREST OR TIAGA_________(biome type) to breeding areas in the
___ARCTIC TUNDRA______________ (biome type).
10. __ WHALES, ELEPHANTS, (WOLVES ALSO CAN) ___(common name) is a mammal that
uses infrasonic sound, and __ PORPOSE, BATS, SHREWS ___ (common name) is a mammal
that uses ultrasonic sound.
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Section V. Short Answer (4 points each, 20 pts total)
“just a few sentences each please”
1. Please explain how and why mammals thrived while dinosaurs went extinct.
Acceptable answers should include at least a couple of the following terms: endothermy,
short-generation time & high reproduction, adaptable, advances senses, advanced brain,
unique metabolism & physiology.
Following a catastrophic event 65 millions years ago, mammals were better equipped to
adapt to the rapidly changing environment which likely was too harsh for dinosaurs. Early
mammals that coexisted with dinosaurs had relatively short generation times and high
reproduction rates. This allowed them to adapt and diversify better than long-living
dinosaurs. Relative to dinosaurs, mammals had more advanced senses (Internal changes in
the mammal ear), proportionally larger brains (neocortix, increase intelligence and
problem solving), and a unique metabolism and physiology (endothermy, homeostasis,
more efficient use of oxygen) which made them more resilience to environmental
disturbance.
Advantages owing to changes in dentition and skeletal system would also be acceptable
answers as long as you stated that these increased feeding opportunities or allowed
mammals to be more flexible to local conditions.
2. Please provide 3 benefits and 2 costs of group living in Class Mammalia.
Benefits: Protection from physical factors, protection against predators, advantages to
finding and obtaining food, group defense of resources, easier to locate mates, division of
labor, richer learning environment.
Costs: Increased intraspecific competition, Increase chance of spread of disease and
parasites, interference with reproduction.
3. At the end of the Pleistocene, there were widespread mammal extinctions. Why?
1. More effective and more widespread hunting by humans and/or
2. Major changes in climate and vegetation and/or
3. A major comet impact over southern Canada and the Great Lakes region 12,900 years
ago that caused widespread wildfires in nonglaciated parts of North America.
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Continued… Section V. Short Answer (4 points each, 20 pts total)
4. A) Below, please draw a figure illustrating the logistic growth curve of a moose
population. B) Please include a dotted line representing “K” and label the X and Y axis
accordingly. C) Please indicate on the curve where the population growth rate has peaked
D) Please indicate where on the curve predator control may be effective and ineffective?
K = carrying capacity
Population
size
Predator control is likely to be
ineffective or at least effective only in
the short term because the population
is near the carrying capacity of the
environment.
Peak growth rate
“inflection point”
Predator control may be effective if
population has stabilized well below
growth-rate potential and well below
K , and evidence exists that predators
are limiting growth “predator pit”.
Time
5. Briefly discuss 2 ways that caribou cows can enhance the chances of survival of their
calves and how one way might work better at low densities and the other way may work
better at high?
Before giving birth they can either “space out” from other caribou and from alternative
prey of wolves and bears, such as moose, or they can “space away” from the predators
themselves (i.e., herd moves away from most wolf packs). Spacing out will work best at
low caribou densities (when there is room to hide from predators) and “spacing away” will
work best at high caribou densities (when there are too many caribou for one to hide away
[space out] from the others).
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