Cells with Nuclie Photosynthetic autotroph Heterotrophic
Gecko
Palm Tree
Flu agaric mushroom
Gecko
Palm Tree
Flu agaric mushroom
| Yes | No
Explanation:
- Gecko: Heterotrophic. Geckos are animals, so they are heterotrophic organisms that obtain their nutrition by eating other organisms. They do not have chloroplasts or the ability to perform photosynthesis.
- Palm tree: Photosynthetic autotroph. Palm trees are plants, so they are photosynthetic autotrophic organisms that produce their own food through photosynthesis. They have chloroplasts and do not need to consume other organisms for nutrition.
- Fly agaric mushroom: Heterotrophic. Fly agaric mushrooms are fungi, so they are heterotrophic organisms that obtain their nutrition by absorbing nutrients from their environment. They do not have chloroplasts or the ability to perform photosynthesis.
Now, drag the colored trait balls to the tree. You will place the trait below the species that have that trait. Once you have completed the tree, you can tell which species are most closely related by, how many branches they have in common. Which species is the mushroom more closely related to?
1 point
Gecko
Tree
It is not clear which colored trait balls are available to drag to the tree as there is no image or reference to them. Without this information, it is not possible to complete the tree or determine which species the mushroom is more closely related to.
According to the video, when two branches split off from each other, it means what?
1 point
Speciation
Extinction
Emmigration
Reproduction
According to the video, when two branches split off from each other, it means speciation.
When we scientists say two species are more closely related, another way of saying it is they share a ____________ common ancestor.
1 point
closer
more distant
When scientists say two species are more closely related, another way of saying it is they share a closer common ancestor.
Amniote Vertebrate Bilateral Symetry
Dog
Goldfish
Kingsnake
Stick Insect
Dog
Goldfish
Kingsnake
Stick Insect
| Amniote | Vertebrate | Bilateral Symmetry |
| Dog | Yes | Yes |
| Goldfish | No | Yes |
| Kingsnake | Yes | Yes |
| Stick Insect | No | Yes |
Explanation:
- Amniote: Refers to organisms that develop an amniotic egg during reproduction. This group includes reptiles, birds, and mammals. Both dogs and kingsnakes are amniotes.
- Vertebrate: Refers to organisms that have a backbone or spinal column. All the organisms in the list are vertebrates.
- Bilateral Symmetry: Refers to the type of symmetry where an organism can be divided into two equal halves along a particular plane or axis. All the organisms in the list exhibit bilateral symmetry.
- Dog: Has all three traits (amniote, vertebrate, bilateral symmetry).
- Goldfish: Lacks the amniote trait, as they are fish and undergo external fertilization and do not develop amniotic eggs.
- Kingsnake: Has all three traits (amniote, vertebrate, bilateral symmetry).
- Stick Insect: Lacks the amniote trait, as they are insects and do not develop amniotic eggs.
is a goldfish a amniote
No, a goldfish is not an amniote. Amniotes are organisms that lay, internally fertilize, and develop embryos inside amniotic sacs. Goldfish do not lay amniotic eggs, instead, their eggs are fertilized externally in the water.
is a goldfish a Vertebrate
Yes, a goldfish is a vertebrate. Vertebrates are animals that possess a backbone or spinal column. Goldfish have a backbone, which makes them a type of vertebrate.
is a goldfish a Bilateral Symetry
Yes, a goldfish exhibits bilateral symmetry. Bilateral symmetry is a type of symmetry in which the animal can be divided into two equal halves along a central plane or axis. Goldfish have bilateral symmetry, and so their right and left sides are mirror images of each other.
is a stick insect a Bilateral Symetry
Yes, a stick insect exhibits bilateral symmetry. Bilateral symmetry is a type of symmetry in which the animal can be divided into two equal halves along a central plane or axis. Stick insects have bilateral symmetry, and so their right and left sides are mirror images of each other.
is a stick insect a Vertebrate
No, a stick insect is not a vertebrate. Vertebrates are animals that possess a backbone or spinal column. Stick insects do not have a backbone or spinal column, which makes them a type of invertebrate.
What trait do all of the species have in common?
1 point
amniote
vertabrate
bilateral symmetry
none of the above
All of the species have in common the trait of bilateral symmetry. All the organisms listed can be divided into two equal halves along a central plane or axis, which is the characteristic of bilateral symmetry.
Which species are most closely related?
1 point
Goldfish and kingsnake
Stick insect and goldfish
Dog and kingsnake
Kingsnake and stick insect
It is difficult to determine which species are most closely related with the given information. While all the listed species share the trait of vertebrate, bilateral symmetry, only dog and kingsnake share the trait of being amniotes. Therefore, it is possible that dog and kingsnake are more closely related to each other than to goldfish or stick insect. However, additional information or a proper analysis would be needed to make an accurate determination of their relationship.
3 Petals 4 or 5 Petals Photosynthetic Produces flowers Releases spores
Banana
Lemon
Onion
Radish
Seaweed
Banana
Lemon
Onion
Radish
Seaweed
| 3 Petals | 4 or 5 Petals | Photosynthetic | Produces flowers | Releases spores |
| Banana | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Lemon | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Onion | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Radish | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Seaweed | No | Yes | No | Yes |
Explanation:
- 3 petals: Refers to flowers that have three petals. Radish and onion have flowers with three petals.
- 4 or 5 petals: Refers to flowers that have four or five petals. Lemon has flowers with five petals.
- Photosynthetic: Refers to the ability to produce food from sunlight through photosynthesis. All the listed organisms are photosynthetic.
- Produces flowers: Refers to plants that produce flowers as their reproductive structures. All the listed organisms are capable of producing flowers.
- Releases spores: Refers to organisms that reproduce by releasing spores into the environment. Seaweeds are algae that reproduce by releasing spores.
- Banana: Does not have 3 or 4/5 petals. It is a photosynthetic plant that produces flowers and later, fruits. Bananas do not release spores.
- Lemon: Has 5 petals and is a photosynthetic plant that produces flowers and later, fruits. Lemons do not release spores.
- Onion: Has 3 petals and is a photosynthetic plant that produces flowers and later, bulbs that are used for vegetative propagation. Onions do not release spores.
- Radish: Has 3 petals and is a photosynthetic plant that produces flowers and later, edible roots. Radishes do not release spores.
- Seaweed: Is photosynthetic and reproduces by releasing spores into the water. Seaweeds do not produce flowers.
Finish this tree. If you are having a hard time, pair the species by the number of petals first. If you are still have difficulty with this (which is totally ok, this is not easy!) I did Banana, Onion, Lemon, Radish, and Seaweed in that order. You do not have to have the same order has me. According to this tree, what is a banana most closely related to?
1 point
Seaweed
Onion
Lemon
Radish
It is not given how the organisms are branched or grouped in the tree. Without this information, it is not possible to complete the tree or determine which organism is the banana most closely related to.
In the picture above, where are the species that lived most recently?
1 point
Towards the top
Towards the bottom
In the middle
Fossils do not exist and the earth is flat
It is not clear which picture is being referred to in the question. Without this information, it is not possible to determine where the species that lived most recently are located.
2-fingered Feathers Toothless Wishbone
Albertosurus
Archaeopteryx
Chicken
Ostrich
T. Rex
Albertosurus
Archaeopteryx
Chicken
Ostrich
T. Rex
| 2-fingered | Feathers | Toothless | Wishbone |
| Albertosaurus | No | Yes | No |
| Archaeopteryx | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chicken | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ostrich | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| T. Rex | No | No | No |
Explanation:
- 2-fingered: Refers to dinosaurs that had a two-fingered hand structure. Albertosaurus had a two-fingered hand structure while Archaeopteryx, chickens, and ostriches all have three-fingered wings but their ancestors were believed to have had a two-fingered hand.
- Feathers: Refers to organisms that possess feathers. Archaeopteryx, chickens, and ostriches all have feathers.
- Toothless: Refers to organisms that lack teeth. Albertosaurus was a therapod dinosaur that had teeth and T.Rex also had teeth while birds like Archaeopteryx, chickens, and ostriches all lack teeth.
- Wishbone: Refers to the furcula, or fused clavicles, of birds. Archaeopteryx, chickens, and ostriches all have wishbones.
- Albertosaurus: Was a two-fingered dinosaur with teeth that lacked feathers and a wishbone.
- Archaeopteryx: Was a feathered, toothed bird-like dinosaur that possessed a wishbone.
- Chicken: Is a three-fingered bird with feathers that lacks teeth but has a wishbone.
- Ostrich: Is a large, flightless bird that has three-fingered wings, feathers, lacks teeth, and has a wishbone.
- T. Rex: Was a large, two-legged dinosaur with teeth that lacked feathers and a wishbone.
Based on this information, it is not possible to determine which species are most closely related. However, it is interesting to note that Archaeopteryx is considered a transitional fossil, sharing both bird and dinosaur characteristics.
Which of the dinosaurs is most closely related to modern birds according to this tree?
1 point
Albertosurus
T. Rex
Archaeopteryx
Dinosaurs, like all birds, are not real.
According to this tree, the dinosaur that is most closely related to modern birds is Archaeopteryx. Archaeopteryx had feathers and a wishbone, and it is believed to have possessed bird-like characteristics such as a beak and the ability to fly or glide to some extent. Therefore, it is considered a transitional fossil linking birds and dinosaurs.
Complete the "Origin of whales" tree. (This one is really hard so you can look at the next page to find the answer, but try completing it by yourself first) According to the tree, what does dorudons, blue whales, and killer whales have in common that the other species do not?
1 point
Underwater nursing
Living in seawater
Tail flukes
Ability to shoot rainbows out of their eyes
Unfortunately, the tree is not provided so it is not possible to determine the answer.
what does dorudons, blue whales, and killer whales have in common that the other species do not?
1 point
Underwater nursing
Living in seawater
Tail flukes
Ability to shoot rainbows out of their eyes
Based on the general characteristics and evolutionary history of whales, it is likely that dorudons, blue whales, and killer whales have in common the trait of living in seawater or being fully aquatic. Other species of whales such as Ambulocetus and Rodhocetus are believed to have been semi-aquatic or amphibious, while other species like Pakicetus and Indocetus are believed to have lived in freshwater habitats. Underwater nursing and tail flukes are also traits shared by many, if not all, modern whales, but the tree is needed to determine which specific traits the listed species possess. Whales do not have the ability to shoot rainbows out of their eyes, as this is not a biological or physiological trait.
For a mutation to have an affect on the species as a whole, it must:
1 point
Be neutral and not affect the survival of the individual
Be inheritable and be able to be passed on to offspring
Be able to benefit the individual
For a mutation to have an effect on the species as a whole, it must be inheritable and be able to be passed on to offspring. This is because evolutionary changes occur over time through the spread of genetic variations or traits within populations, which can only happen if those traits can be inherited by future generations. Mutations that are neutral or benefit the individual may or may not contribute to the long-term success of a species, but only inheritable mutations can contribute to the genetic diversity and evolution of a population over time.
What is best to determine if species are closely related?
1 point
They have similar physical traits.
They have similar genetic make up.
They live in the same geographic area.
They are easily stackable!
Frog legs and fish eggs: When scientists compare DNA, there are usually thousands upon thousands—or even millions—of nucleotide bases involved. A computer then scans the sequences and aligns them in a way that provides the best match. In some cases, the computer will add “blank” spaces to improve alignment. Such spaces represent nucleotides that were added or deleted as opposed to changed in one or more lineages. In this level, you’ll get the hang of analyzing DNA by looking at a tiny 4-base snippet. A dash (–) represents either a blank space added to improve alignment or a position that is not important for the analysis you’ve been asked to do. To make things easier, the information from the species compare tab is shown below. However, don’t forget to read the species tabs—they might help you.
On your phylogenetic tree, which two species are grouped together?
1 point
Cichlid and frog
Frog and coelacanth
Cichlid and coelacanth
One fish, two fish, red fish, lungfish: For a long time, scientists thought that coelacanths were the closest living relatives to amphibians. Coelacanths have big fleshy fins and hinged jaws, two traits they share with fossils of ancestral amphibians. When they went to analyze the DNA, however, they got a surprise. Take a look at the data yourself and see what you come up with.
Scientists previously thought that frogs and coelacanth are most closely related due to physical characteristics. With DNA evidence, we now know that frogs are more closely related to which of the following?
1 point
Great white shark
Cichlid
Lungfish
The best way to determine if species are closely related is to compare their genetic makeup. This is because genetic similarities accurately reflect the evolutionary relationships between organisms. While physical traits or geographic location can sometimes indicate similarities between species, they may not be an accurate measure of evolutionary relatedness.
Based on the information provided, it is not clear which species grouping is referred to in the first question or which species frogs are most closely related to in the second. Without this information, it is not possible to determine the correct answers.
What is best to determine if species are closely related?
1 point
They have similar physical traits.
They have similar genetic make up.
They live in the same geographic area.
They are easily stackable!
The best way to determine if species are closely related is to compare their genetic makeup. This is because genetic similarities accurately reflect the evolutionary relationships between organisms. While physical traits or geographic location can sometimes indicate similarities between species, they may not be an accurate measure of evolutionary relatedness. Therefore, comparing genetic sequences is a more reliable method of determining how closely related two species are.
Frog legs and fish eggs: When scientists compare DNA, there are usually thousands upon thousands—or even millions—of nucleotide bases involved. A computer then scans the sequences and aligns them in a way that provides the best match. In some cases, the computer will add “blank” spaces to improve alignment. Such spaces represent nucleotides that were added or deleted as opposed to changed in one or more lineages. In this level, you’ll get the hang of analyzing DNA by looking at a tiny 4-base snippet. A dash (–) represents either a blank space added to improve alignment or a position that is not important for the analysis you’ve been asked to do. To make things easier, the information from the species compare tab is shown below. However, don’t forget to read the species tabs—they might help you.
On your phylogenetic tree, which two species are grouped together?
1 point
Cichlid and frog
Frog and coelacanth
Cichlid and coelacanth