Evolution of Plants & Invertebrates, Fish & Amphibians, Earth and Life, Reptiles & Birds, Mammals & Humans, Extinctions

These flashcards cover key concepts from the evolution of plants, invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, and extinctions.

Seeds

What plant adaptation was crucial for overcoming desiccation on land?

Specialized transport tissues

What distinguishes vascular plants from nonvascular plants?

It represents a rapid diversification of animal body plans.

What is significant about the Cambrian Explosion?

Brachiopods

Which invertebrate group is a key indicator of Paleozoic marine life?

Enclosed embryos in seeds.

What feature allowed seed plants to colonize drier environments?

Eurypterids.

Which fossil group was a major marine predator during the Paleozoic?

Led to the largest extinction event in Earth’s history.

What was the climate impact on marine invertebrate biodiversity during late Paleozoic?

Angiosperms.

Which plant group first developed flowers?

Moss.

Which of these is not a vascular plant?

Invertebrate marine animals.

Crinoids and brachiopods are examples of:

Jaws.

What allowed fish to become more effective predators?

Lobe-finned fish (Sarcopterygians).

Which fish group is ancestral to amphibians?

A transitional fossil with both fish and tetrapod traits.

What is Tiktaalik best described as?

Desiccation (drying out).

What challenge did land colonizers face?

Placoderm.

Which is an extinct armored fish from the Devonian period?

A transitional organism like Tiktaalik with traits of fish and tetrapods.

What does “fishapod” refer to?

Shared structures in embryos and DNA with ancient fish.

What did the 'Your Inner Fish' documentary emphasize?

Ostracoderms.

Which early fish lacked jaws but had bony armor?

Lobe-finned fish.

Amphibians evolved from which fish group?

Limbs with digits.

What anatomical feature first evolved in lobe-finned fish?

They create new ecosystems and isolate populations.

How do plate tectonics influence evolution?

Geographic isolation leading to speciation.

What was an outcome of the breakup of Pangaea?

By constantly altering habitats and migration routes.

According to “The Making of North America: Life,” how did geologic change shape
biodiversity?

Creating physical barriers that drive speciation.

The formation of mountain ranges affects evolution by:

Tidal forces from the Moon.

Which geological process has the least influence on evolution?

Allowed reproduction without water.

Why was the amniote egg a major evolutionary breakthrough?

Development of waterproof skin and eggs.

Why were reptiles more successful on land than amphibians?

Theropod dinosaurs.

Which animals are most directly related to birds?

Mesozoic (Triassic, Jurassic, Cretaceous).

What group includes the Age of Reptiles?

They reduce weight for flight.

What is the function of hollow bones in birds?

Feathers.

What trait was inherited by birds from dinosaurs?

Protorothyrids.

Which group represents the earliest known amniotes?

Insulation or display.

What was the adaptive function of feathers before flight?

Cynodonts.

Which group bridges the gap between reptiles and mammals?

All of the above.

Which traits helped reptiles dominate during the Mesozoic?

Laying eggs.

What shared trait exists between reptiles and early mammals?

Presence of placenta for fetal nourishment.

What distinguishes placental mammals from others?

Grasping hands and flexible shoulders.

What anatomical trait links humans to tree-dwelling primates?

Tool use and social interaction.

What evolutionary pressure led to increased brain size in early hominins?

Triassic.

When did mammals first appear?

Meteor impact.

What explains the iridium anomaly at the Cretaceous boundary?

Massive volcanic activity and ocean anoxia.

What triggered the Permian extinction?

Range of species affected.

How does global extinction differ from local extinction?

One that fills ecological niches after a mass extinction.

What describes an opportunistic species?

Cretaceous.

Which extinction wiped out non-avian dinosaurs?

False.

True or False: Gymnosperms reproduce using flowers and fruits.

False.

True or False: Placoderms were bony fish that gave rise to mammals.

True.

True or False: Dinosaurs are a subgroup of reptiles.

False.

True or False: All extinctions are caused by human activity.

True.

True or False: Mammals and birds both independently developed endothermy.

ammonoids

are extinct marine mollusks closely related to modern squid and octopus, characterized by their spiral shells.

angiosperm

is a group of flowering plants that produce seeds enclosed within a fruit. They are the most diverse and widespread group of plants on Earth.

brachiopods

are marine animals with hard shells on the upper and lower surfaces, distinct from mollusks. They were abundant in the Paleozoic era and are still found today.

crinoids

are marine animals known as sea lilies, part of the echinoderm family, characterized by a cup-shaped body and long, feathery arms used for feeding.

eurypterid

is an extinct group of arthropods known as sea scorpions, characterized by large size and predatory behavior in marine environments during the Paleozoic era.

flowering plants

are plants that produce flowers and seeds for reproduction, playing a significant role in ecosystems and the evolution of terrestrial life.

gymnosperm

are seed-producing plants that bear seeds directly on cones or other structures rather than in protected ovaries, contributing to the evolution of land vegetation.

invertebrate animals

are animals without a backbone, including a diverse range of species such as insects, arachnids, and mollusks, which play critical roles in ecosystems.

nonvascular plant

are plants that lack a vascular system for transporting water and nutrients, such as mosses and liverworts, typically found in moist environments.

seed

an embryonic plant enclosed in a protective outer layer, containing the necessary nutrients for growth.

seedless vascular plant

are plants that possess a vascular system for transporting water and nutrients but do not produce seeds, such as ferns and horsetails.

seed plant

are plants that produce seeds for reproduction, including gymnosperms and angiosperms, characterized by their ability to store nutrients in seeds.

vascular plant

a type of plant that has specialized tissues for transporting water and nutrients throughout the plant.

bony fish

are a diverse group of fish characterized by a skeleton made of bone, which includes species such as salmon and trout.

cartilaginous fish

are fish characterized by a skeleton made of cartilage instead of bone, including species like sharks and rays.

chordate

A phylum of animals that includes fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, characterized by having a notochord and a dorsal nerve cord at some stage of development.

crossopterygian

A group of lobe-finned fishes that are considered ancestral to tetrapods, known for their fleshy, paired fins and lungs.

Eusthenopteran

An extinct genus of lobe-finned fishes that lived during the Late Devonian period, known for its skeletal features that are similar to those of early tetrapods.

labyrinthodon

An extinct genus of amphibians that lived during the Paleozoic era, characterized by distinctive labyrinthine patterns in their teeth and believed to be among the first vertebrates to adapt to terrestrial life.

lobe-finned fish

A group of fish characterized by fleshy, lobed fins that are more similar in structure to the limbs of tetrapods, allowing for movement in shallow waters.

ostracoderm

An extinct group of jawless fish that lived from the Ordovician to the Devonian periods, characterized by bony armor and a lack of true jaws, representing early vertebrate evolution.

placoderm

An extinct group of armored fish that lived during the Silurian and Devonian periods, known for their bony plates and jaws, which made them some of the earliest jawed vertebrates.

ray-finned fish

A diverse group of fish characterized by their bony skeletons and fins supported by rays, allowing for a wide range of movement and adaptation in aquatic environments.

Tiktaalik

A transitional fossil between fish and tetrapods, Tiktaalik lived during the Devonian period and exhibited both aquatic and terrestrial features, including a flat skull and limb-like fins.

tetrapod

A superclass of vertebrates that includes amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals, characterized by having four limbs.

vertebrate

An animal with a backbone or spinal column, including groups such as fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.

amniote egg

A type of egg that has a protective shell and membranes, enabling embryos to develop on land, characteristic of reptiles, birds, and mammals.

bird

A warm-blooded vertebrate with feathers, capable of flight and typically laying eggs.

cynodont

A group of synapsid reptiles that are closely related to mammals, characterized by features such as differentiated teeth and a more advanced jaw structure.

dinosaur

A diverse group of reptiles that dominated the Earth during the Mesozoic era, known for their varied sizes, forms, and adaptations.

labyrinthodont

An extinct group of amphibians from the Paleozoic era, characterized by their complex teeth structure and adaptations for both aquatic and terrestrial life.

pelycosaur

A group of early synapsid reptiles that existed during the late Carboniferous and early Permian periods, often characterized by their sprawling limbs and distinctive sail-like structures on their back.

protorothyrids

Early reptiles that are ancestral to all modern reptiles, known for their small size and adaptations to a terrestrial lifestyle.

therapsid

A group of synapsid reptiles that lived during the late Permian and early Triassic periods, known for features that foreshadowed the transition to mammals.

ectotherm

An animal that relies on external sources to regulate its body temperature, typically found in reptiles, amphibians, and fish.

endotherm

An animal that generates its own body heat through metabolic processes, commonly found in birds and mammals.

marsupial

A group of mammals characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young, which often complete their development in a pouch.

monotreme

A group of egg-laying mammals, including the platypus and echidna, that nurse their young with milk.

placental

A group of mammals that give birth to more fully developed young after a longer gestation period, during which the fetus is nourished via a placenta.

extinction

The permanent loss of a species from the planet, often due to environmental changes, loss of habitat, or human activity.

global extinction

the rapid loss of a large number of species across multiple ecosystems, often resulting from catastrophic events or significant environmental changes.

iridium anomaly

A layer of clay rich in iridium found in the geologic record, often associated with the impact of meteorites or asteroids, believed to be linked to mass extinction events such as the one that wiped out the dinosaurs.

local extinction opportunistic

refers to the occurrence of a species disappearing from a specific area or habitat while still existing in other locations. This phenomenon can result from changes in the environment or competition with invasive species.

species

A group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring, sharing similar characteristics.

radiation

The process through which a single ancestral species diversifies into a variety of forms and adaptations, often in response to ecological opportunities.