Concept explainers
To determine: Whether the morphological diversity of animals has increased, decreased, or remained the same since the Cambrian.
Introduction: Paleozoic era started with the Cambrian period. Initially, animal diversity was low in the Cambrian period. The interval of the first 20 million year of the Cambrian era saw an explosion of diversity in animals. During this interval, other classes of echinoderms, arthropods, and mollusks first appeared. This period is known as Cambrian explosion because morphological diversity of animals exploded in very less time.
To explain: The bias dictating the analysis of whether the morphological diversity of animals has increased, decreased, or remained the same since the Cambrian
Introduction: Paleozoic era started with the Cambrian period. Initially, animal diversity was low in the Cambrian period. The interval of the first 20 million year of the Cambrian era saw an explosion of diversity in animals. During this interval, other classes of echinoderms, arthropods, and mollusks first appeared. This period is known as Cambrian explosion because morphological diversity of animals exploded in very less time.
Want to see the full answer?
Check out a sample textbook solution- Segmentation has evolved several times and occurs in most animal supergroups. What advantages do segmented taxa have over their unsegmented relatives?arrow_forwardWorld's shortest man dies in Italy 2010/03/16 11:14:00 http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/780490-world-s-shortest-man-dies-in-italy ROME-The world's LK shortest man has died in Italy, where he was to take part in a TV show, the program's production company said Tuesday. He Pingping, of China, who was 2 feet, 5.37 inches (74.6 centimetres) tall, had become a recognized figure across the world, often taking part in shows, photo shoots and other events, Guinness World Records said. In a file picture taken on Jan. 14, 2010 the shortest man in the world He Pingping,. left holds onto the finger of the world's tallest man, Sultan Kösen during the launch of the Guinness World Records live roadshow in Istanbu. MUSTAFA OZERIAFPIGetty Imagesarrow_forwardA) Draw a phylogenetic tree for the major phyla of the animal kingdom. Label the appropriate branch points on the tree with the following features: Tissue, radial symmetry, bilateral symmetry, body cavity, deuterostomes, and protostomes. B). Draw a diagram of a hydra. On the hydra, label the mouth (hypostome), tentacles, basal disk, ovary, budding polyp, gastrovascular cavity. State the function of each structure you labeled next to or under your diagram.arrow_forward
- The following four line drawings are reconstructions of invertebrate fossil. Using your knowledge of the extant invertebrate phyla, please indicate which phylum this species mostly likely belongs to. Support your conclusion by connecting the morphological characteristics of the fossil species with the distinguishing characteristics of the phylum.arrow_forwardWhat are examples of the following groups of vertebrates: Chondrichthyes, Actinopterygii, Actinistia, Dipnoi, and Tetrapoda? How many species are in each of the above groups? Which one has the most species? When did the first vertebrates appear, and when did they first live on land? Where do we find the earliest fossils of vertebrates, and where do we find the earliest fossils of terrestrial (land-living) vertebrates? What are the following and how are they related to humans: Pongo, Gorilla, Pan, Sahelanthropus, Ardipithecus, Australopithecus, Homo erectus, and Homo neanderthalensis? Which of these is our closest living relative? What are some of the traits that these organisms share with us? When and where did each of the extinct forms above live? What does this tell us about when our lineage split from the most recent ancestor we share with our closest living relative?arrow_forward4) What makes Archeopteryx an important fossil evolutionarily? A)This species has a mix of characters that suggest it was a "transitional" species between two large groups, dinosaurs and birds. B)This species is the oldest known, universally agreed upon, fossil of life, and therefore tells up what the common ancestor to all living things might have been like. C)This species has a mix of characters that suggests is was a "transitional" species between two large groups, fish and amphibians. D)This species is thought to be the last common ancestor between chimps and humans, and therefore is the root of our own specific group (homonins).arrow_forward
- At the beginning of the Paleozoic era, animals underwent an adaptive radiation event, called the Cambrian explosion. During this relatively short span of geological time, the ancestors of most animal phyla arose. Classification of taxa at the rank of phylum is based largely on body plan, which is laid out during embryonic development. Answer the questions that follow: What environmental condition may have contributed to the Cambrian explosion? What is one evolutionary novelty (phenotypic trait) that also contributed to the Cambrian explosion? Genetic and developmental mechanisms also contributed to the Cambrian explosion. Before the Cambrian, animals were small with simple body plans (g., sponges and jellyfish). By the end of the period, larger animals with complex body forms had evolved (e.g., arthropods and vertebrates). Did the following genetic mechanisms impact the evolution of body plan complexity? Provide a brief explanation for each answer. gene duplication…arrow_forwardA 2015 article in Nature has summarized the early history of jawed vertebrates using highlights from recent discoveries and how they have changed our understanding of vertebrate evolution. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140416133336.htm Question: Given these recent discoveries, how should the cladogram below change? Describe it. It will likely be helpful to reference a synapomorphy noted on the cladogram.arrow_forwardWhat is plausible evidence supporting the hypothesis that birds evolved from dinosaurs? Please choose the best option. a) Dinosaurs and birds are both predatory.b) Fossilized transitional forms are discovered that possess features of birds and dinosaurs yet are difficult to classify into either group.c) The wing structure of a bird is similar to a dinosaur.d) Bird fossils can be found alongside dinosaur fossils.arrow_forward
- As we have discussed in class, phylogenies are hypotheses, and can therefore change over time with new evidence. Relatively recent and strong molecular evidence (that we did not discuss in class) suggests that all members of the Subphylum Hexapoda are derived from a common ancestor within the Subphylum Crustacea, as in the cladogram shown below. Given this new information, answer the question below. Note: Don't panic. Some of the names of these groups are new to you (Copepoda, Malacostraca, and Remipedia are all classes or subclasses within the Subphylum Crustacea), but this will not affect your ability to answer this question. Myriapoda Copepoda (Crustacea) Malacostraca (Crustacea) Hexapoda Remipedia (Crustacea) If we insisted that all groups must be categorized and named so that taxonomic ranks/names always include a single common ancestor and all of its descendants, how would this new evidence change our definition of a hexapod? Hexapoda and Melacostraca would have to be classified…arrow_forwardAt the beginning of the Paleozoic era, animals underwent an adaptive radiation event, called the Cambrian explosion. During this relatively short span of geological time, the ancestors of most animal phyla arose. Classification of taxa at the rank of phylum is based largely on body plan, which is laid out during embryonic development. Answer the questions that follow: please answer all subquestions. What is one evolutionary novelty (phenotypic trait) that also contributed to the Cambrian explosion? Genetic and developmental mechanisms also contributed to the Cambrian explosion. Before the Cambrian, animals were small with simple body plans (g., sponges and jellyfish). By the end of the period, larger animals with complex body forms had evolved (e.g., arthropods and vertebrates). Did the following genetic mechanisms impact the evolution of body plan complexity? Provide a brief explanation for each answer. gene duplication events homeotic gene expressionarrow_forwardHow could morphological data alone lead biologists to group animals into erroneous evolutionary relationships?arrow_forward
- Biology: The Dynamic Science (MindTap Course List)BiologyISBN:9781305389892Author:Peter J. Russell, Paul E. Hertz, Beverly McMillanPublisher:Cengage Learning