Question 1

Which of the following statements best describes what a phylogenetic tree shows?

Accepted Answer

It shows the evolutionary history and relationships among species or groups.

Question 2

Which of the following is an example of homoplasy (analogy) rather than homology?

Accepted Answer

The wings of bats and birds, which evolved independently for flight.

Question 3

A group of species that includes a single common ancestor and all of its descendants is called:

Accepted Answer

A monophyletic group

Question 4

Why can analogous characters be problematic when constructing phylogenies?

Accepted Answer

They result from convergent evolution, not shared ancestry, and can mislead analyses.

Question 5

Which of the following best describes the difference between taxonomy and systematics?

Accepted Answer

Taxonomy is the naming of organisms, while systematics includes taxonomy and the study of evolutionary relationships.

Question 6

In a phylogenetic tree, what does a branch point (node) represent?

Accepted Answer

The most recent common ancestor of the lineages diverging from that point.

Question 7

Which of the following is true about terminal taxa (tips) in a phylogenetic tree?

Accepted Answer

They did not evolve from each other but share a common ancestor.

Question 8

A researcher is comparing DNA sequences between two species and finds that 25% of the base pairs are identical. What does this suggest?

Accepted Answer

There may be molecular homoplasy, as similarity could be due to coincidence rather than shared ancestry.

Question 9

Which of the following is a valid phylogenetic grouping?

Accepted Answer

Monophyletic group

Question 10

In cladistics, what is a synapomorphy?

Accepted Answer

A shared derived character that defines a monophyletic group.

Question 11

Which of the specialty fields uses both taxonomy and phylogeny to classify organisms?

Accepted Answer

Systematics

Question 12

If a phylogenetic tree's branch lengths are proportional to time, what additional information is needed to calibrate the tree?

Accepted Answer

Fossil record data to determine the timing of branch points.

Question 13

Which of the following scenarios is an example of convergent evolution?

Accepted Answer

The evolution of similar body shapes in ichthyosaurs and dolphins.

Question 14

A group of species that includes a common ancestor but not all of its descendants is called:

Accepted Answer

A paraphyletic group

Question 15

Which of the following best describes the role of an outgroup in cladistic analysis?

Accepted Answer

It is used to determine which characters are ancestral versus derived.

Question 16

Which of the following is an example of a shared ancestral character?

Accepted Answer

The presence of a vertebral column in all vertebrates.

Question 17

Which of the following statements about phylogenetic trees is FALSE?

Accepted Answer

Terminal taxa (tips) evolved from each other.

Question 18

Which of the following is a practical application of constructing phylogenetic trees?

Accepted Answer

Predicting features of extinct ancestors using phylogenetic bracketing.

Question 19

Which of the following best explains why the wings of bats and birds are considered analogous as wings but homologous as forelimbs?

Accepted Answer

They evolved independently for flight but share a common tetrapod ancestor for forelimb structure.

Question 20

Which of the following is NOT a valid reason for why broader taxa (such as class Mammalia) can be harder to compare than narrower taxa?

Accepted Answer

Broader taxa always contain only extinct species.

Phylogeny and the Tree of Life: Study Notes

Study Guide - Practice Questions