Question 1

Which of the following is considered the oldest living group of chordates?

Accepted Answer

Lampreys (Class Agnatha)

Question 2

Sea squirts are classified as chordates even though they are invertebrates. Which key chordate feature do they possess during their larval stage?

Accepted Answer

A notochord

Question 3

Which anatomical feature is shared by lampreys, hagfish, and lancelets, but NOT by bony fish?

Accepted Answer

Absence of jaws

Question 4

What evolutionary advantage did the development of jaws provide to early vertebrates?

Accepted Answer

Enhanced ability to capture and process a wider variety of prey

Question 5

Cartilaginous fish (Class Chondrichthyes) include which of the following examples?

Accepted Answer

Sharks and rays

Question 6

Which two body shapes are commonly found in cartilaginous fish, and what is their functional significance?

Accepted Answer

Streamlined and flattened; for fast swimming and bottom dwelling

Question 7

Why are bony fish (Osteichthyes) considered less primitive than sharks?

Accepted Answer

They possess a bony skeleton and swim bladder

Question 8

What major evolutionary event occurred over 400 million years ago that led to the increase in the diversity of fish?

Accepted Answer

The evolution of jaws and paired fins

Question 9

Which of the following is a trait observed in bony fish that contributes to their great diversity?

Accepted Answer

Presence of a swim bladder for buoyancy control

Question 10

Why are coelacanths (lobe-finned fish) important in understanding the evolution of amphibians?

Accepted Answer

Their limb-like fins provide insight into the transition from water to land

Question 11

What adaptation allowed lungfish to survive in environments with fluctuating water availability?

Accepted Answer

Ability to breathe air using lung-like sacs

Question 12

Which of the following best explains why amphibians are typically restricted to moist environments?

Accepted Answer

Their eggs lack a protective shell and require moisture to develop

Question 13

What is the primary function of the swim bladder in bony fish?

Accepted Answer

To regulate buoyancy

Question 14

Which of the following equations best represents the relationship between buoyant force ($F_b$), fluid density ($\rho$), volume displaced ($V$), and gravitational acceleration ($g$) as it applies to the swim bladder in fish?

Accepted Answer

$F_b = \rho V g$

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of amphibians that allowed them to move onto land?

Accepted Answer

Eggs with hard shells

Question 16

A major radiation of vertebrates occurred when chordates moved onto land. Which of the following best describes a likely scenario for this transition?

Accepted Answer

Fish with strong, lobed fins began to use them to move in shallow water and eventually on land

Question 17

Which of the following best explains why the evolution of jaws was a significant event in vertebrate history?

Accepted Answer

It enabled vertebrates to exploit new food sources and ecological niches

Question 18

Which of the following is a correct sequence in the evolutionary history of vertebrates?

Accepted Answer

Agnatha → Chondrichthyes → Osteichthyes → Amphibia

Question 19

Which of the following is a key difference between cartilaginous fish and bony fish?

Accepted Answer

Bony fish have a swim bladder, while cartilaginous fish do not

Question 20

Which of the following best describes the life cycle of a typical amphibian such as a frog?

Accepted Answer

Egg → Larva (tadpole) → Adult, with metamorphosis from aquatic to terrestrial life

Evolution and Diversity of Vertebrates: Study Notes

Study Guide - Practice Questions

Study Guide - Flashcards