LESSON 15: WHAT IS COMMON
ANCESTRY? (STUDY GUIDE)
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH
SOLUTIONS 2024
how many species are known to exist, and how many total might there be? - ANSWER There are 2
million known species, but about 10 million total
how many species of insects, plants, fungi, fish, and mammals are known to exist? - ANSWER 250000
plants, 70000 fungi, 35000 fish, 4500 mammals
Using Figure 15.5, be able to discuss the relative abundances of different kinds of species. - ANSWER
Figure 15.5 shows a few major types of
organisms. Each type is drawn to scale with
the number of known species. In other
words, the larger the image, the more
species are known.
what is common ancestry, and why does speciation result in it? - ANSWER Some species share common
ancestry, its logical to thing groups of similiar organisms developed this way. Some species developed
through divergent evolution, physical eveiced strongly suggest all species have developed through
divergent evolution.
explain four reasons why the theory of common ancestry is controversial for some people. - ANSWER 1.
The theory clashes with certain religion beliefs
2. The theory is often poorly explained
3. People often misunderstand this theory
4. People rarely have a chance to see much of the evidence in favor of this theory
how long ago does physical evidence of the following kinds of life first appear on Earth: bacteria,
protists, plants, fungi, invertebrate animals, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, primate
, mammals, and humans? - ANSWER Planet Earth is 4.5 billion years old.
The first organisms developed 4 million years ago, over the course it underwent divergent evolution into
many species. The first organism was bacteria, 1.5 billion years protists began to form, 6 mill years 3
seperate protists began to diverge (plants, fungi, animals), from animals invertebraes began to diverge,
500 million years vertebrates began to diverge forming fish, at 400 millions years amphibians began to
diverge, about 300 million years reptiles began, at 200 million birds, then mammals began to diverge
creating primates at 70 million years ago, about 200,000 years homo sapiens began to diverge from apes
from which other organisms did the following kinds of life apparently diverge, and when: protists,
plants, fungi, invertebrate animals, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, primate mammals,
and humans? - ANSWER Protists diverged from bacteria, plants fungi and animals diverged from protists,
invertebrates diverged from animals, vertebrates diverged from invertebrates, fish diverged from
vertebrates, amphibians diverged from fish, reptiles diverged from amphibians, birds diverged from
reptiles, mammals diverged from birds, primate mammals diverged from mammals, and humans
diverged from primate mammals.
what major changes occurred in the following organisms when they diverged: protists, plants, fungi,
invertebrate animals, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, primate mammals, and humans? -
ANSWER Protists: Mutation and natural selection led to the development of more chromosomes stored
in a nucleus
Plants:
Fungi:
Invertebrate animals: developed complicated cell differentiation
Fish: internal rigid support structures
Amphibains: the ability to live on land
Reptiles: waterproof shell around their eggs
Birds: HOMEOTHERMY; his is an ability to maintain a stable internal temperature
Mammals: production of a nutritious liquid for young, called milk
Primate mammals: opposable, grasping thumbs on the front hands
Humans: High intelligence
where and when has the oldest evidence of the human species been found? - ANSWER The earliest
evidence of this