BY 256 Final Exam Questions

When do birds first appear in the fossil record?

Jurassic Period

Roughly how many species of birds are there?

10,000

Which dinosaur are birds closely related to?

Velociraptor (Theropod dinosaur)

What is the first known bird in the fossil reccord?

Archaeopteryx

What species appears to be a Theropod specialized for flight?

Archaeopteryx

Was the Archaeopteryx a reptile with bird-like features?

No, it was a bird with reptile-like features

What reptile-like features did the Archaeopteryx posses?

Reptile-like head with teeth and scales, and a well developed tail with vertebrae

When did birds radiate during the fossil record?

Tertiary Period, early Cenozoic Era

What was a large predatory bird from the Tertiary Period?

Gastronis

Where have terror bird skeletons been found?

North America from Central Florida to Texas

What are "pneumatic" bones?

Hollow bones

What portion of the birds body provides a strong structure for wing attachment?

Trunk portion of the bird's skeleton forms a "rigid airframe"

What are the braces found in birds between the ribs?

Uncinate Processes

What is the name of the group of flightless, keel-less birds?

Ratites

How many toes do birds usually have?

4 toes (with 3 forward and 1 backward)

How are the feet of roadrunners adapted for running?

They have 2 toes forward and 2 toes backward

What are feathers derived from?

Highly modified reptilian scales

Are bird feathers homologous or analogous to reptilian scales?

Homologous

What are feathers composed of?

Keratin

What organisms also appeared to have feathers? (other than birds)

Theropod dinosaurs

What are the functions of feathers?

Flight
Insulation
Buoyancy
Camouflage
Advertisement and display

Do birds have scales?

Yes, on their legs and feet

Are birds cold blooded or warm blooded?

Warm blooded (endotherms/homeotherms)

What group of organisms are the warmest of the vertebrates?

Birds

Do birds have a muscular diaphragm?

No

Are birds positive or negative pressure breathers?

Negative pressure breathers

How do birds move air through their lungs?

They move their wings, ribs, and sternum

What type of air flow do birds exhibit?

Unidirectional air flow through the lungs

Does the larynx produce sound in birds?

No, their syrinx (at bottom of the trachea) produces the sound and the larynx just modifies it

Are birds songs sung by the males or females?

Males, often stimulated by the hormone testosterone

What are bird calls used for?

They are used as alarm calls or to maintain contact with other birds

Do birds have nostrils?

Yes, they have small holes in their beaks for nostrils

What is an example of a bird with good olfaction?

Kiwi, its nostrils are at the tip of its bill so it probes soil with its long beak and smells for food

Do birds have Loops of Henle in the nephrons of their kidneys?

Some birds have loops of henle to concentrate their urine

What nitrogenous waste product do birds produce?

Uric acid (humans produce Urea)

Why is guano from birds mined off of islands?

It is rich is nitrogen and phosphates

Do birds have salt glands?

Yes, located just above the eye in most sea birds to get rid of excess salt

Are all birds oviparous?

Yes, all birds are egg laying

Do all birds have paired gonads?

No, only the left ovary develops in most birds

Why do female birds only have one ovary?

To reduce weight for flight

What type of fertilization do birds use?

Internal fertilization

What is the difference between altricial and precocial hatchlings?

Altricial - born naked, helpless
Precocial - born with feathers, independent

Why are North American areas good breeding locations for birds during the spring/summer?

Fewer predators
Large supply of insects in summer
More time to feed

When do mammals first appear in the fossil record?

Triassic Period (start of the Mesozoic), small insectivors

How many living species of mammals are there?

Approximately 5450 species

Which group are the mammal-like reptiles?

Therapsids

When did mammals begin to radiate in the fossil record?

Tertiary Period

Are the marsupials the most successful group of mammals?

No, the placental mammals are the most successful group of mammals

What is the advantage of hair in mammals?

Provides insulation

Which is a better insulator hair or feathers?

Hair

Are horns or antlers shed annually?

Antlers, horns are retained throughout life

Are antlers grown by males, females or both?

Only males

Are horns grown by males, females or both?

Both

What is unique about Rhinoceros horns?

They are composed of hair-like fibers that adhere/cement to one another, both sexes have them

Which family has "true horns"?

Family Bovidae ("ruminants" such as cattle, sheep, antelope, etc.)

What family has antlers?

Family Cervidae (deer family: deer, elk, moose, caribou)

What types of glands does mammal skin have?

Sweat, sebaceous, scent, and mammary glands

What hormone(s) stimulate mammary gland growth?

Estrogen and progesterone

What hormone stimulates milk production?

Prolactin

What hormone stimulates milk ejection/milk let down?

Oxytocin

Are placental mammals the warmest of the vertebrates?

No, the birds are the warmest

What is the name of the "newer, more advanced" cerebral cortex seen in mammals?

Neopallium

What is the cerebellum used for in mammals?

Complex motor movements

Are elephant tusks highly modified canine teeth?

No, they are modified incisors

Are walrus tusks modified canine teeth?

Yes

Are Wild Boar and Javalina tusks enlarged incisors?

No, they are enlarged canine teeth

What teeth are modified in the Vampire bat so they can make incisions to retrieve blood from their prey?

They have modified incisors

Which incisor is modified in Narwals?

Their upper left incisor

Do both male and female Narwals have a large tusk?

No, males only

Do carnivores have a short or long digestive tract?

Short, to prevent fermentation

Do herbivores have a short or long digestive tract?

Long, for absorption of nutrients

Do mammalian kidneys have Loops of Henle in their nephrons?

Yes, they can concentrate their urine

Are mammals positive or negative pressure breathers?

Negative pressure breathers

Do mammals have a muscular diaphragm?

Yes

What is the most primitive group of living mammals?

Monotremes

What is unique about the monotremes in comparison to the other mammals?

They are oviparous (egg-laying), and have a cloaca but no nipples

How many living species of monotremes are there?

3 living species (Duck-billed Platypus, Long-nosed Echidna, and Short-nosed Echidna)

Placental mammals and marsupials have similar niches, this is hypothesized to be what type of evolution?

Convergent evolution

What is unique about Kangaroo reproduction?

They can simultaneously have 3 different young at various stages of development (i.e. embryo in uterus, fetus in marsupium, and joey)

When are the first placental mammals found in the fossil record?

Tertiary Period