U4L4 Fossils & Living Organisms Prov. Evidence of Evolution

Which of these cases provides embryological evidence that two species share a common ancestor?

• A. two species with very similar DNA

• B. two species with different body structures

• C. two species with different structures that have similar functions

• D. two different species with similar patterns of early development

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NGSS.MS-LS4-3

Two species might have similar skeletal structures that have different functions. What do these types of structures suggest about the relationship between the two species?

• A. Common structures with different functions suggest that the species live in the same habitat.

• B. Common structures with different functions suggest that the species do not share a common ancestor.

• C. Common structures with different functions suggest that one of the species never learned how to use the structure properly.

• D. Common structures with different functions suggest that the species share a common ancestor that also had a similar structure.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Snakes have traces of leglike structures that are not used for movement. Which inference is supported by this fact?

• A. Snakes do not have ancestors.

• B. Snakes are an example of transitional fossils.

• C. Snakes share a common ancestor with animals that have legs.

• D. Snakes and animals that have legs are part of the same species.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Tara is comparing the embryos of parrotfish and salamanders. Although the adult organisms look very different, the embryos follow similar developmental pathways. What does this suggest?

• A. that parrotfish and salamanders are found in the fossil record

• B. that parrotfish and salamanders have the same genetic makeup

• C. that parrotfish and salamanders likely share a common ancestor

• D. that parrotfish and salamanders use their organs for different functions

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-3

Which of these is least likely to be used to infer evolutionary relationships?

• A. similarities in habitats

• B. similarities among embryos of organisms

• C. similarities at the genetic and molecular level

• D. similarities between living and fossilized organisms

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-3

• A. The organisms share a common ancestor.

• B. The organisms all belong to a different genus.

• C. The organisms lack any shared genetic material.

• D. The organisms all belong to the domain Archaea.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

• A. about 15 million years

• B. about 45 million years

• C. about 55 million years

• D. about 65 million years

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Describe what scientists can infer from the appearance of gill slits in the early stage embryos of fish, cats, and chickens.

• Scientists can infer that fish, cats, and chickens are all mammals.

• Scientists can infer that even though these organisms look very different, because the embryos share a similar early phase of gill slits, at some point these three organisms shared a common ancestor.

• Scientists can infer that these organisms all need oxygen from a water source.

• Scientists can infer that fish, cats, and chickens were all from the same habitat.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

According to the evidence scientists have gathered, whales and hippos are more closely related than whales and fish. Describe the types of evidence a scientist uses to infer whether two species such as whales and hippos share a common ancestor.

• This is a false statement. Whales and fish are more closely related because they are both ocean-dwelling organisms.

• To determine evolutionary relationships, scientists are limited to looking at only anatomical similarities. Since whales and hippos are both larger than most fish, scientists concluded that they are related.

• To determine evolutionary relationships, scientists look at fossil evidence, body structures, genetic evidence, and embryo development. The more similar they are, the more closely related the organisms are.

• Common ancestry is based on the animals' environments. It is not possible that whales and hippos have the same common ancestor.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

NGSS.MS-LS4-2

Similarities in anatomy can help indicate evolutionary relationships, but similar structures are not always the result of a close evolutionary relationship. Justify this statement with examples. (pick 2)

• Closely related: Examples could include the environment and habitat where fossils of similar organisms were found.

• Closely related: Examples could include four-legged organisms with similar leg structures that carry out similar functions and also evolved from a recent common ancestor (e.g., horse, cat)

• Not closely related: Examples could include the gill slits found in the early embryos of organisms such as fish, cats, and chickens.

• Not closely related: Examples could include fins of whales and fish; wings of birds, bats, and insects

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

NGSS.MS-LS4-3