Chasing after Caminalcules

Question 1

Determine which is the most recent common ancestor of the species of the following groups. Write your answers in complete sentences.

• Species 4, 2, 16
• Species 19, 20, 28
• Species 2, 12, 22

Question 2

Cite and explain two examples of convergent evolution among the Caminalcules. This means finding cases where two or more species have a similar characteristic that evolved independently in each lineage.

Example: The wings of bats, birds and bees is an example of convergence since the three groups did not inherit the characteristic from their common ancestor.

Question 3

Cite and explain an example of divergent evolution.

Question 4

Selective pressure is the group of environmental conditions that directs the sense evolution of species. Imagine the possible life habits and selective pressures of the cases in Questions 2 and 3, and try to propose why they have evolved like this.

Question 5

Find examples of vestigial structures (structures that have been reduced to the point that they are virtually useless). Explain how vestigial structures provide clues about a species' evolutionary past.

Question 6

Find an example of fast adaptive radiation.

Question 7

Find examples of homologous structures (traits inherited by two different organisms from a common ancestor).

Question 8

Find examples of analogous structures (similarities due to convergent evolution, not common ancestry).

Question 9

Identify a case that could be used to support a Lamarckist evolutive model.

Question 10

Identify a case that could be used to support a Darwinist evolutive model.

Questions 11-13

In which cases have you used:

• The law of faunistic succession?
• The law of superposition?
• Any stratigraphic discontinuity?

Question 14

Discuss the ecological conditions that you think might result in the rapid diversification of some lineages (e.g., descendants of species 56).

Question 15

Compare the taxonomic groups you constructed in Step One with the phylogenetic relationships you obtained in Step Three. Are there any inconsistencies? Explain using the terms paraphyletic, polyphyletic, and monophyletic.