The elephant has evolved to be a great size, while the mouse has evolved to be relatively small. Explain how natural selection might favour a different size in each mammal species.

Compare how natural selection might favor the reduction and loss of limbs in snakes versus lizards with how selection would eliminate eyes in cave-dwelling fishes.

Bipedalism has many selective advantages. However, there is one disadvantage to walking on two feet: giving birth to an offspring with a large head through a small pelvic opening, which is necessitated by an upright posture, is very difficult. This situation results in a high percentage of deaths (for mother and child) during birth compared to primates. How do you explain the selection of a trait that is both positive and negative?

When Charles Darwin visited the Galapagos Islands, he observed the marine iguana. He later decided that the marine iguana evolved from the terrestrial iguana found on the mainland of South America. The marine iguana differs from the terrestrial iguana in several ways. The marine iguana has a flat tail, long claws and sharp teeth while the terrestrial iguana has a round tail, short claws and flat teeth. When looking at the differences between the terrestrial and the marine iguana, which of the following is not evidence that evolution has occurred? * O Homologous structures shared between both iguanas O The biogeography of the iguanas O Comparative embryology of the iguanas The state of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium present in both iguanas

Humans often survive beyond their childbearing years, which is unique among primates. The grandmother hypothesis states that human longevity beyond childbearing years is selected for because grandmothers benefit the children of their offspring. This effectively increases survivorship of the offspring of their offspring (two generations into the future). Assuming that human longevity also has a cost, e.g. reduced fecundity (number of offspring), which of the following would most likely produce selection for longer lives? (Not required, but if you are interested see this popular press story about the "evolution" of this hypothesis: http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2012/10/the-evolutionary-importance-of- grandmothers/264039/ 2 ) Selection only occurs if females, and not males, have extended lives, that is why males have a shorter life expectancy O Human grandmothers must only nurture their own children and not their grandchildren O Increased survival in grandchildren due to…

Scientists often use a cladogram such as the one below to illustrate evolutionary relationships.   Which is the best explanation for separating reptiles from mammals?

Scientists speculate or hypothesize that primates evolved to have such traits as nails, grasping hands and feet, forward-facing eyes and depth perception because of their arboreal environs as well as the need to either hunt or to find flowery plants. is this true or false?

Mammals belong to a group of amniotes known as synapsids. Three major lineages of mammals had emerged by the early Cretaceous period. In a tabulated form, compare these three lineages to illustrate their diversity in terms of: a. Embryonic developmen, b. How the young are fed and c. Period of gestation

According to evolutionary relationships among the primates, which of the following is true of tarsiers? A. They are small bodies like most anthropoids B. They are considered arboreal quadrupeds like most New World monkeys C. They are more closely related to anthropoids than to lemurs and lorises D. They may be more closely related to strepsirrhines because they are nocturnal

a- Tiktaalik is a fish that lived 375 million years ago that grew to three metres long and had aquatic features mixed with others more suited to life on land. The fossils of five Tiktaalik specimens reveal that the animals had a large, robust pelvic girdle, a prominent hip joint, and long hind fins. The powerful fins could have propelled the beast in the water, but also helped it walk on riverbeds, or scramble around on mudflats. It is believed that Tiktaalik evolved into four-legged land animals. The scientists have yet to find a Tiktaalik hind fin bone, or any remains that might shed light on the origins of toes. A picture of Tiktaalik is available at https://www.npr.org/2010/07/05/127937070/the-human-edge-finding-our-inner-fish Describe how Darwin would explain that evolution of hind legs (of land animals) actually began as enhanced hind fins (of Tiktaalik), referring to his relevant observations and inferences (History of Evolutionary Thought). Indicate where the observations and…