Ch. 34 - The Origin and Evolution of Vertebrates

Problem 4

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Chapter 34, Problem 4

Which clade does not include humans? a. synapsids b. lobe-fins c. diapsids d. osteichthyans

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Clades and Phylogenetics

A clade is a group of organisms that includes a common ancestor and all its descendants. Understanding clades is essential for studying evolutionary relationships and classifying organisms based on shared characteristics. Phylogenetics is the branch of biology that deals with the evolutionary history and relationships among species, often represented in tree-like diagrams.

Synapsids

Synapsids are a clade of animals characterized by having a single temporal fenestra, an opening in the skull behind the eyes. This group includes mammals and their ancestors, which means humans are part of the synapsid clade. Recognizing synapsids helps in understanding the evolutionary lineage leading to mammals.

Diapsids

Diapsids are a clade of reptiles distinguished by having two temporal fenestrae in their skulls. This group includes birds, crocodiles, and most reptiles, but notably excludes mammals. Understanding diapsids is crucial for identifying which groups do not include humans, as they represent a separate evolutionary path.

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Textbook Question

Vertebrates and tunicates share a. jaws adapted for feeding. b. a high degree of cephalization. c. an endoskeleton that includes a skull. d. a notochord and a dorsal, hollow nerve cord.

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Textbook Question

Living vertebrates can be divided into two major clades. Select the appropriate pair. a. the chordates and the tetrapods b. the urochordates and the cephalochordates c. the cyclostomes and the gnathostomes d. the marsupials and the eutherians

Unlike eutherians, both monotremes and marsupials a. lack nipples. b. have some embryonic development outside the uterus. c. lay eggs. d. are found in Australia and Africa.

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Textbook Question

As hominins diverged from other primates, which of the following appeared first? a. reduced jawbones b. an enlarged brain c. the making of stone tools d. bipedal locomotion

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Textbook Question

Which of the following could be considered the most recent common ancestor of living tetrapods? a. a sturdy-finned, shallow-water lobe-fin whose appendages had skeletal supports similar to those of terrestrial vertebrates b. an armored, jawed placoderm with two pairs of appendages c. an early ray-finned fish that developed bony skeletal supports in its paired fins d. a salamander that had legs supported by a bony skeleton but moved with the side-to-side bending typical of fishes

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Textbook Question

EVOLUTION CONNECTION Living members of a vertebrate lineage can be very different from early members of the lineage, and evolutionary reversals (character losses) are common. Give examples that illustrate these observations, and explain their evolutionary causes.

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