Primate Evolution

Anthropologists recently discovered skull fragments from a previously unknown primate. The mandible (jaw bone) of the skull is shown below along with mandibles of other known primates. Why would scientists use the fossil records to help them determine the species of the unknown primate?

• To compare the evolution of its relatives.

• To see if the fossil has the same mass as a jaw of other primates.

• To determine if the fossil has the same number of teeth as a modern primate.

• To identify evolutionary relationships between the unknown and known fossils.

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If modern organisms have a lot of homologous structures, what inference might paleontologists make about those organisms?

• They are reptiles

• The organisms have a common ancestor

• One organism evolved from the other.

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What is a structure that is similar across species?

• vestigial

• adaptation

• homologous

• variation

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Why would scientists use the fossil records to help them determine the species of the unknown primate?

• To compare the evolution of its relatives.

• To see if the fossil has the same mass as a jaw of other primates.

• To determine if the fossil has the same number of teeth as a modern primate.

• To identify evolutionary relationships between the unknown and known fossils.

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NGSS.MS-LS4-1

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Which of the following is a key piece of evidence for human evolution?

• Ancient cave paintings

• Stone tools

• Fossilised human bones

• Old maps

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Which of the following is NOT a unique trait that evolved in humans?

• Bipedalism

• A large cranium

• Canine Teeth

• Use of tools

Which of the following correctly summarizes the physical changes that early humans went through over the past million years or so?

• Brain size increased as jaw size decreased

• Brain size decreased as jaw size increased

• Bipedalism increased as use of tools increased

• Bipedalism decreased as the use of tools increased

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2

An ancient ANCESTOR is

• an extinct species related to a current species

• a current species that turned into an extinct species

• an imposter of the imperial empire

• a false equivalency between flatulence and belches

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In biology, EVOLUTION means...

• a population of platypus tickling a rhinoceros

• a organism staying the same

• a change in a organism during its lifetime

• a change in the traits of a population across generations of a species

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A biologist analyzes the DNA sequences in three different primates. The biologist finds that primates “A“ and “B” have almost exactly the same DNA sequences. The DNA sequences in primate “C” are significantly different from those of primate “A” and primate “B”. This information allows the biologist to infer that

• primates “A” and “B” are more closely related to each other than either is to primate “C.”

• all three primates appeared on Earth at about the same time.

• either primate “A” or primate “B” must be a direct ancestor of primate “C.”

• primate “C” must have been the ancestor of both primate “A” and “B.”

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NGSS.MS-LS4-2