Final Exam Review Flashcards
1
Q
What extinction killed the non avian dinosaurs
A
Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction abbreviated K-T
2
Q
What happened during the K-T extinction
A
a ~10 km asteroid collided with Earth
landscapes were deforested
he great cycles of nutrients that formed the complex food webs in
the world’s oceans temporarily shut down
3
Q
What are the 2 categories of extinctions
A
background extinctions
mass extinctions
4
Q
What is a background extinction
A
isolated extinctions of species that continually occur
in an ongoing fashion
5
Q
What is a mass extinctions
A
They
appear to be something qualitatively as well as
quantitatively different than background extinctions
6
Q
What is essential for biotic turnover
A
Background extinctions
7
Q
What percentage of extinctions can be tracked back to a Background extinctions
A
95
8
Q
What is involved in a mass extinction
A
large numbers of species and
many types of species undergoing global extinction in a
geologically short period of time.
9
Q
What team discovered the theory of an asteroid impact
A
team of University of California
10
Q
What was the proof of an asteroid strike as the cause of the k-t extinction
A
The iridium (Ir) increases
dramatically at the clay layer to 9 parts per billion (ppb)
11
Q
How many iridium anomalies are know around the world
A
More than 300. both
terrestrial and marine.
12
Q
What is shocked quartz
A
from the terrestrial K-Pg
etched angled lines across the face
generated by a large impact.
13
Q
What is Microtektites
A
small, droplet-shaped blobs of
silica-rich glass
represent material thrown
up into the atmosphere in a
molten state due to the
tremendous energy
released when a meteor
strikes the Earth
14
Q
What angle did the asteroid strike earth
A
angle of about
30°, coming from the southeast.
15
Q
What are 4 physical impacts from the astroid
A
Blockage of sunlight
Infra-red radiation pulse
Global wildfires
Tsunamis
16
Q
What were the results of Blockage of sunlight
A
stopping photosynthesis and causing a short-term temperature
decrease (now called an impact winter).
17
Q
What were the results of Infra-red radiation pulse
A
release the tremendous kinetic
energy it possessed as infra-red radiation and heat
18
Q
What 4 groups of sea animals went extinct after the astroid
A
(a) ichthyosaur (Platypterygius), (b) mosasaur (Tylosaurus), and (c)plesiosaur (Elasmosaurus). (d) The shelled, tentacled invertebrates
19
Q
What happened to the planktonic foraminiferan
A
extinction was abrupt, with only a few
species crossing the boundary into the Paleocene.
20
Q
What is the evidence that an extinction occured at the k-pg boundary
A
both palynoflora (spores and pollen)
and a macroflora (the visible remains
of plants, especially leaves) records
21
Q
What animals had the best survuval at the K-pg boundary
A
aquatic habitat, ectothermy, small size,
22
Q
What is the Signor Lipps effect
A
describes the apparent gradual extinction of species in the fossil record due to incomplete sampling, even if the actual extinction was sudden.
23
Q
What is evidence of sudden extinction
A
demonstrated
by Lillegraven and Eberle (1999
no gradual decrease throught time. means instantaneous extinction
24
Q
how do parrots overlap with primates in brain
A
body size ratio, intelligence
and abilities, and evidence
suggests that they (and corvids)
have sophisticated emotions that aren’t much different
from ours.Parrots and
corvids are also capable of
using tools and problem-solving
25
What do we know about octopus
they can dream like humans
26
What could have pushed other animals to evolve like humans
Parallel
evolution
27
Who was the first person to describe dinosaurs as mammals
Sir Richard Owen based on the now-discredited idea
28
in the twentieth century, how were dinosaurs thought to be
cold blooded dolled-up crocodiles
29
What is Physiology
is the study of the various
integrated functions of an animal
30
What is Metabolism
is the aspect of physiology that
describes the chemical reactions and pathways
an organism uses to obtain energy and put it to
work
31
What is a endotherms
organisms that regulate their temperature
internally
32
What is a ectotherms
organisms that
use external sources of heat to regulate their
temperatures.
33
What is the citric acid cycle
breakdown of carbohydrates to
produce energy that is stored in
ATP
34
What is a poikilotherms
temperature fluctuates
35
What is a homeotherms
the
temperature remains constant
36
how do humans regulate energy
endothermic homeotherms
37
What do animals have to create insulation to maintain heat
Mammals have hair
◼ Birds have feathers
◼ Now we know that many
dinosaurs had feathers
as well
38
What is an indicator of high metabolic rates
Air sacs and unidirectional breathing in living
organisms
39
What is Pneumaticity
indicative of expanded air sacs – and thus unidirectional breathing, are well developed in
saurischian dinosaurs as a group.
40
why were dinosaurs thought to be endothermic
All non-avian dinosaurs had a fully erect stance.
Among living vertebrates, a fully erect stance occurs
only in birds and mammals, both of which are
endothermic.
41
What was the evolutionary reason for an erect stance
lung
volume could be maximized during
high-speed locomotion
42
How do leg lengths differ between endo and ectotherms
Long-leggedness is characteristic of living endotherms while
living ectotherms possess relatively stubby limbs
Among living tetrapods, the only bipeds are endotherms
43
What does the energy output graph show us
an endotherm
sustains maximum energy output for more than twice as
long as an ectotherm does.
44
How much more energy does an endotherm
sustains maximum energy output for more than twice as
long as an ectotherm does.
10 to 30
times as much energy.
45
What is the predator/prey biomass ratios
predator/prey biomass ratios for
ectothermic organisms are around 40 per cent,
while predator/prey biomass ratios for
endothermic
organisms are 1 per cent to 3 per cent
46
What is a respiratory turbinates
in the
nasal cavities. The mucus-covered surfaces of
the turbinates pull moisture out of the air
before it leaves the nose
47
What is the latitudinal distribution of ectothermic tetrapods
larger terrestrial tetrapods do not get much beyond about
latitude 20° North and South. These include large snakes and lizards,
crocodilians, and tortoises. Dinos found in 80° North and South
48
What is Haversian canals
found in bones. Fast-growing, homeothermic mammals have
porous bones filled with Haversian canals. dinos included
49
how do dinosaurs groth rates correlate with warm blooded animals
has fixed growth rate and size
50
What is a ceratopsian
quadrupedal, horned, frilled dinosaurs
51
What is the weight of a ceratopsian
ranging upward of 6 or 7 metric tons
52
What is a ceratopsian Psittacosaurus
small, Asian, hornless (and primitively bipedal)
53
What is a ceratopsian Protoceratops
small, Asian, hornless (and quadrapedal)
54
Where were ceratopsians restricted to
North America and Asia.
55
what are some aspects of a ceratopsian skull
all had skulls that were narrow, with a hooked beak in
front and a skull that flared deeply in the cheek region
56
What aspect did ceratopsian have at on there upper jaw
rostral bone
57
how where horns preserved in ceratopsian skulls
only preserve
the bony horn cores. horn core covered
by the keratinized
58
What is the marginocephalian shelf
Extending from the
back of the skull, frills vary considerably in almost every
respect: size, ornamentation, and shape. The largest
reach 2 m in length
59
What is a dental battery
small cheek teeth grew stacked and
overlapping together into a large
60
What was the chewing action of Ceratopsids
high-angle grinding motion
61
Did ceratopsians show parental care
yes, nest fossil found filled with mother and juveniles
62
What were ceratopsians horns functions to be
intraspecific
behaviors such as display, ritualized combat, defense of
territories, maturity and species identification, and
establishment of social ordering.
63
The variety of horn and antler shapes in mammals are known to reflect
(1) species-recognition mechanisms that aid in preventing interspecific
matings (that is, matings between different species), and
(2) intraspecific differences so that displays and ritualized fighting
behavior occur between appropriate individuals (e.g., equally eligible
males, in the case of modern mammals).
64
What was the function of the frill display in ceratopsians
frontal threat
display
65
What is crossing of horns
combat between (likely male) Centrosaurus. puncture wounds inflicted
on faces, frills, and bodies of competing ceratopsians
66
What is big john
the largest known Triceratops, has a gaping hole in its
bony frill,
67
How is sexual dimorphism in Protoceratops proposed
female, the frill is less pronounced and the nasal ridge is less prominent;
quite the opposite of (b), a presumed male.
68
What is known about the social interactions of ceratopsians
lived in large herds
69
did ceratopsians have feathers
monofilamentous feathers along
the back of the tail, interpreted as display features
70
What is the camo pattern in a fossil refer to
countershading, which
functions by counter illuminating
shadows on the body of an organism
71
What is the caldogram of ceratopsian seen as
1) rostral bone, enlarged premaxilla, jugal
2)short preorbital region of the skull, very elevated naris, loss of antorbital fossa
and fenestra
3)enlarged head, keeled front end of the rostral bone
72
What are ossified tendons
foud on the backbones of Iguanodon
immobilized the backbone,
providing strength in the pelvic region where the stresses were high during bipedal
locomotion
73
What is the hands of the iguanodon look like
5 digits with spiked thumb
74
What was the diets of Hadrosaurids
ate twigs, berries, and coarse plant
matter
75
What do the teeth of ornithopods look like
throughout ornithopod evolution
become progressively more tightly packed, culminating in the
lambeosaur dental battery with continual tooth replacement
76
What are the jaw mechanisms of the ornithopods
lateral mobility of the
upper jaws (pleurokinesis) giving
them the ability to chew the
toughest, most fibrous plants.
77
What does the nasal cavities of the ornithopods look like
Highly modified nasal cavities housed within the hollow crests on the
heads
78
What were the 5 predictions that test the
hypothesis that hadrosaurid crest morphology was all about sexual
selection
(1) If communication and display were important, hadrosaurids must
have had both good hearing and good vision.
(2) If the crest served the dual role of visual display and as a vocal
resonator, then its external shape might not necessarily mimic the
internal shape of the resonating cavities inside.
(3) If crests acted as visual signals, then they should be species specific
in size and shape, and they should also be sexually dimorphic.
(4) If the crests were a visual cue, they ought to be increasingly
distinctive as the number of hadrosaurids living together increases.
(5) The crests should become more distinctive through time as a
consequence of sexual selection.
79
did ornithopods show parental care
yes
80
What are the 2 groups within Marginocephalia
Pachycephalosauria
Ceratopsia
81
What is a Pachycephalosauria
(pachy – thick; cephalo - head)
82
What is a Ceratopsia
(kera – horn; tops – face).
83
What taxon does marginocephalians
make up
Cerapoda
84
What is a parietal shelf
Marginocephalians all bear a ridge, or shelf, of bone
running across the back of the skull
85
What is a Pachycephalosaurs
bipedal
ornithischians
with thickened
skull roofs
86
What is a Homalocephale
flat-headed, thick-
headed. best known of all
pachycephalosaurs
87
What caused wear of skull caps of pachycephalosaurs
water transport
88
What type of teeth did pachycephalosaurs have
Simple, peg-like gripping teeth. Cheek teeth uniformly shaped with small,
triangular crowns; the typical primitive
ornithischian “leaf-shaped” tooth.
89
What were the rib shape of a pachycephalosaurs
broadly
expanded thoracic and abdominal rib cage.large stomach (or stomachs) that broke
down tough vegetation via bacterial fermentation
90
What was a Pachycephalosaurs brain like
typical ornithischian
brains, although atypically enlarged olfactory
lobes of the brain, suggesting a better-than-
average sense of smell.back half of the brain is angled downward
91
What did morphology suggest about pachycephalosaurs skull roofs
Thick skull roofs used as battering rams. dome is very dense,
with the bone fibers oriented in columns for resisting such forces
around the brain
92
What two dinosaur groups make up Marginocephalia
Pachycephalosauria and Ceratopsia
93
What are the defining characteristics of Pachycephalosaurs?
Thickened skull roofs, dome-shaped heads, peg-like front teeth, canine-like teeth, and leaf-shaped cheek teeth
94
Where were Pachycephalosaur fossils primarily found?
Northern Hemisphere.
95
What part of Pachycephalosaur fossils is most commonly found?
Thickened skull caps
96
Why did Pachycephalosaurs have a broad rib cage?
To accommodate a large stomach (or stomachs) for digesting tough plant material through bacterial fermentation.
97
What evidence supports sexual competition among Pachycephalosaurs?
Sexual dimorphism, enlarged canines, osteoderms, and growth-related skull changes.
98
What dinosaur is an early, primitive bipedal ceratopsian?
Psittacosaurus.
99
Where and when are Ceratopsians mainly found?
Cretaceous period, North America and Asia.
100
What is the function of the rostral bone in ceratopsians?
Forms part of the upper beak
101
What feature allows Ceratopsians to chew efficiently?
Strong jaw muscles, large coronoid process, and vertical wear surfaces on the teeth.
102
How do Ceratopsians differ from other herbivorous dinosaurs in digestion?
They chewed more efficiently and didn’t need large guts.
103
What roles did horns and frills serve in Ceratopsians?
Intraspecific display, combat, species recognition, and potentially defense.
104
What fossil evidence supports Ceratopsian social behavior?
Herd structure, sexual dimorphism, combat injuries, and nesting evidence
105
What unique skin feature was found on a Psittacosaurus fossil?
Monofilamentous feathers and countershading coloration
106
What are some derived characters of Ceratopsians?
Rostral bone, enlarged premaxilla, flaring jugal bone, and enlarged head.
107
What chewing adaptation is unique to Ornithopods?
Pleurokinesis — sideways movement of the upper jaw.
107
What type of feeders were Ornithopods?
Low-level feeders
108
What skeletal trait helped Ornithopods with bipedal locomotion?
Ossified tendons along the back and tail.
108
What sensory traits did Ornithopods possess?
Large brains, acute vision, and intelligence.
109
What is the function of skull crests in Hadrosaurs like Parasaurolophus?
Sound production, visual display, species recognition, and possibly sexual selection.
110
What is the difference between ectotherms and endotherms?
Ectotherms rely on external heat, endotherms regulate internal body temperature.
111
What is the role of insulation in thermoregulation?
Helps retain heat in endotherms; hinders heat absorption in ectotherms.
112
What evidence supports endothermy in dinosaurs?
Erect stance, large brains, insulation, fast growth rates, oxygen isotope ratios, predator-prey ratios.
113
What respiratory adaptation do saurischians have?
Pneumatic bones allowing unidirectional airflow and efficient breathing.
114
What geological factors can skew the fossil record?
Lack of rock exposure, over-collection, and preservation bias.
115
What’s the difference between background and mass extinction?
Background = normal rate of species turnover; Mass = rapid, global, catastrophic losses.
116
What evidence supports the asteroid impact theory?
Iridium layer, shocked quartz, microtektites, crater at Chicxulub.
117
What was the effect of the impact on the Earth’s ecosystems?
Sunlight blocked, photosynthesis shut down, global wildfires, drastic cooling.
118
What does the Signor-Lipps effect explain?
Fossil sampling biases that make extinction events appear gradual.
119
What type of teeth do theropods have?
Ziphodont teeth – knife-like, thin, recurved, and serrated.
119
What are the diagnostic characters of Saurischia?
Large hand size, twisting of manual digit I, overlapping metatarsals, elongate cervical vertebrae, and loss of distal carpal V.
120
What is the function of the promaxillary fenestra?
It's an extra opening in front of the antorbital opening; its exact function is uncertain but may relate to weight reduction or respiration.
121
What posture and stance did theropods have?
Fully erect with digitigrade stance (walked on toes) and legs directly under the body.
122
What limb adaptations made theropods good runners?
Shorter femur, long tibia, and long digitigrade foot
123
What was the estimated top speed of the fastest and largest theropods?
Fastest: 40–60 km/h; Largest: likely under 40 km/h
124
What claw adaptation is found in dromaeosaurs and troodontids?
An enlarged, sickle-like claw on the second toe, held off the ground while walking.
125
What adaptations did theropod hands have?
3-fingered grasping hands tipped with strong claws; 4th and 5th digits were vestigial
126
How did carnivorous theropods use their jaws?
They had a scissor-like jaw action for slicing, not chewing.
126
What was the difference in tooth structure between early and later theropods?
Early theropods had teeth to the back of the jaw; later groups restricted teeth to the front
127
How were Tyrannosaurus teeth adapted for bone-crushing?
They were thick and strong with a multi-directional crystalline structure.
127
Which theropod had peg-like projections in a strong, toothless jaw?
Oviraptor – may have crushed shellfish.
127
What theropod groups lost their teeth and were likely herbivorous?
Ornithomimosaurs.
128
What do CT scans suggest about theropod senses?
They had a good sense of smell and large eyes for sharp vision.
129
What did small theropods like Compsognathus and Sinosauropteryx eat?
Small lizards
130
What was Spinosaurus’s diet likely made up of?
Fish – based on pointy teeth.
131
What do melanosomes in theropod feathers indicate?
They allow determination of color and patterns in feathers and eggs.
132
What is Avialae?
A group that includes the common ancestor of birds and Archaeopteryx and all its descendants.
133
What are the two main groups within Avitheropoda?
Carnosauria (e.g., Allosaurus) and Coelurosauria (e.g., Tyrannosaurus)
134
What are defining features of Coelurosauria?
Enlarged brain, narrow foot, includes tyrannosaurids, maniraptorans
135
What groups are part of Maniraptora?
Oviraptor and Paraves
136
What are key traits of Paraves?
Long arms, pennaceous feathers, retroverted pubis, and sickle claw on digit II.
137
What are diagnostic traits of Sauropodomorpha?
Small skull, lanceolate teeth, long neck (10+ vertebrae), thumb claw, elongate femur
137
What was the feeding adaptation in sauropods?
Broad jaws with spatulate or pencil-like teeth for vegetation stripping.
138
What is the Theory of Evolution?
The process by which organisms change over time due to genetic mutations, driven by natural selection, with significant changes occurring over geologic time.
139
How old is the Earth currently estimated to be?
4.55 billion years old, based on radiometric dating.
140
Who developed the Principle of Uniformitarianism?
James Hutton and Charles Lyell
141
What is stratigraphy?
The study and classification of sedimentary and layered rocks
142
What is faunal succession?
The principle that fossils appear in a specific, recognizable order in the rock record.
143
What are Cephalochordates and why are they important?
Represented by modern Amphioxus, they show body segmentation and upper/lower branching of nerves and blood vessels.
144
What defines Vertebrata?
Vertebrates have a mineralized internal skeleton and a segmented spine.
145
What is Gnathostomata?
Vertebrates with true jaws.
146
What key skeletal features do lobe-finned fishes and tetrapods share?
Shoulder girdle and three primary limb bones.
146
Into ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii) and lobe-finned fishes (Sarcopterygii).
Into ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii) and lobe-finned fishes (Sarcopterygii).
147
How is Dinosauria defined?
As the clade containing Triceratops, Passer (sparrow), and all their descendants.
147
How is Tetrapoda defined and diagnosed?
A clade including salamanders, mammals, and descendants; diagnosed by four limbs and a vertebral column with paired limbs.
148
Elongate deltopectoral crest, perforate acetabulum, reduced fibula-astragalus contact, epipophyses, and asymmetrical 4th trochanter.
149
Saurischia (lizard-hipped) and Ornithischia (bird-hipped).
150
Saurischia (lizard-hipped) and Ornithischia (bird-hipped)
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