GLGY Flashcards
1
Q
A bone fragment, which was collected from a layer with an age of 55 million years is considered _____ .
A
A fossil
2
Q
The representative of this kingdom consist of single celled organisms with well defined nucleus within the cytoplasm.
A
Protista
3
Q
Oldest fossil on Earth belongs to this kingdom
A
Bacteria
4
Q
Most diverse metabolic strategies are known in the representative of this kingdom
A
Bacteria
5
Q
The fossils of organisms that present a notochord are studies within this branch of palenotology
A
Vertebrate paleontology
6
Q
Most of the fossils in metamorphic rocks occur in
A
Slate
7
Q
The main condition for an organism to fossilize is…
A
rapid burial
8
Q
A bivalve fragment consisting of pyrite was formed through this process of fossilization.
A
Replacement
9
Q
Fossils preserved through carbonization consist of a film of this material
A
Graphite
10
Q
Dehydration is also known as.
A
Mummification
11
Q
____ is the fundamental level of organization of the living world in the Linnean classification.
A
Species
12
Q
______ is the species name in Pleuropora fructicosa metameris.
A
fructicosa metameris
13
Q
_____ is the youngest eon in the Earth’s history.
A
Phanerozoic
14
Q
The youngest period of the Mesozoic era is _____.
A
Cretaceous
15
Q
The oldest fossils on Earth are known from rocks assigned to this eon.
A
Archean
16
Q
The most severe crisis in the history of life corresponds to the boundary between these periods (in stratigraphical order)
A
Permian/Triassic
17
Q
Stromatolites consist of the representatives of this kingdom.
A
Bacteria
18
Q
_____ is the larges component of diatom frustule.
A
Epitheca
19
Q
Diatom frustule is of ______ nature.
A
Siliceous
20
Q
Coccolithophorids live in these environments.
A
Marine waters
21
Q
What does a foraminifer look like?
A
A flower. Petals layering upwards.
22
Q
Radiolarian habitat is best described and _____ and _____.
A
Marine, planktic
23
Q
This group of plants dominated the floral assemblages during most of the Mesozoic.
A
Gymnosperms
24
Q
Organic substance frequently associated with the siliceous spicules.
A
Spongin
25
Modern corals are included in this group.
Hexacorals
26
______ are the colonial representatives of the lophophorates.
Bryozoans
27
What do you think lophophorates made?
Pearls
28
Group of molluscs with endoskeleton
Belemnites
29
Molluscs that have the shell consisting of one uncoiled piece
Monoplacophorans
30
The most primitive cephalopod shells were
Straight
31
Group of arthropods that became extinct at the Permian/Triassic boundary
Trilobites
32
Arthropod group that is considered one of the first "conquerors of land" in the late Silurian
Chelicerates
33
The earliest representatives of the echinoderm group had this kind of symmetry.
They were completely assymmetrical
34
_____ are the dominant echinoderms in the Mesozoic and the Cenozoic
Sea urchins
35
How many types of symmetry does an irregular sea urchin have?
2
36
Graptolite colony is referred to as ____.
Rhabdosome
37
Morphological variability as the result of organism growth from the juvenile to gerontic stages are known as _____.
Ontogenetic variability
38
This growth strategy that is characterized by the continuity in development of the skeletal parts.
Accretion
39
Sexual dimorphism is a case of _____.
Genetic variability
40
Kind of morphology variability induced primarily by ecological factors.
Nongenetic variability
41
This specimen is designated as the species name bearer by the scientist that discovered and named a species
Holotype
42
______ is a specimen collected much later from the same locality from which the holotype and paratypes were designated
Topotype
43
The most significant evolutionary achievement in the evolution from prokaryotes to eukaryotes is the _____.
Evolution of sexual reproduction
44
A species with a lifespan of circa one million years documents this tempo of evolution, according to the classification of GG Simpson
Tachytely
45
This concept of species is extensively used in paleontology
Morphospecies
46
Classification system in which the species are not considered objective natural entities but creations of the mind
Nominalism
47
Extremophiles are included within this domain of life
Archaea
48
The early atmosphere of Earth had a _____ character.
Reducing
49
The existence of oceans in the early history of the Earth ( aprrox 4.4 bya) is demonstrated witht he aid of this mineral
Zircon
50
Proteins are the final products of the polymerization of the
amino acids
51
The polymer cellulose is formed through the repetition of this organic monomer
Glucose
52
The oldest body fossils on Earth are known from this lithostraphic unit from Australia
Apex chert
53
The Isua formation crops out in____
Greenland
54
Living stromatolites were first discovered in _____
Shark bay
55
Precambrian stromatolites had a patchy distribution in the
Mesoarchean
56
The oldest well-documented stromatolites are known from this lithostratigraphic unit
Fig tree formation
57
Photosynthetic bacteria and cyanobacteria occur in this layer of a stromatolite
Growth surface
58
Stomatolites achieved global distribution in the _____.
Neoarchean
59
Stromatolite development resulted in the release in the Earth's atmosphere of vast amounts of this gas
Oxygen
60
The maximum development of the Banded Iron Formation is recorded in the
Proximity of the Archean/Proterozoic boundary
61
Formation of the banded iron formations is associated with ____ events.
Volcanic
62
_____ is the oldest reg alga in the fossil record
Bangiomorpha
63
The earliest known organism with animal like metabolism.
Melanocyrillium
64
Ediacaran organisms belong to this kingdom of life.
Animalia
65
This Ediacaran organism demonstrates the process of cephalization
Spriggina
66
Which Ediacaran organism is interpreted as the ancestor of the molluscs
Kimberella
67
Ediacaran organisms are preserved as
Impressions
68
Ediacaran organism with trilateral symmetry
Tribrachidium
69
This Ediacaran presents an internal cavity
Kimberella
70
The earliest exoskeleton is demonstrated in the case of this fossil organism
Cloudina
71
The Precambrian/Cambrian boundary is defined at the first occurrence of this trace fossil
Trichophycus
72
This fossil of the Tommatian fauna demonstrates the development of a siphon
Yochelcinoella
73
The space between the inner and outer walls of an archaeocyathid is known as _____.
Intervallum
74
_____ was the earliest large sized global predator on Earth
Anomalocaris
75
Fossil of the Chengjian province, which demonstrates the evolution of a vertebral column.
Myllokunmingia
76
What is the name of the living cephalopod?
Nautilis
77
Where does Nautilis live?
Seasoned oceans
78
How do Nautilis move in depth in water?
By holding air in chambers
79
When did cephalopods emerge in the fossil record?
Late cambrian
80
When did cephalopod start to decline?
Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary - only nautiloid species survived
81
What is special about the genus Argonauta?
Calcitic structure produced by octopi to protect eggs.
82
When did Nautiloid that resemble modern species evolve?
Late Ordovician
83
Describe the shells of the first nautiloids.
- Straight
| - central siphon
84
What is the species name of the earliest nautiloid?
Orthoceras
85
What evolved from orthoceras?
Actinoceras and Endoceras
86
What was unique about actinoceras?
- large nautiloid
- eccentric siphon
- began filling chambers with calcite making it heavy
87
What time period did the Actinoceras live?
Ordovician and extinct in late Carboniferous
88
What did orthoceratid evolve to in the early Devonian?
Bactritoids
89
What is distinctive of the Bactritoid groups?
- small, slender shells
- eccentric siphon, adjacent to the outer wall
- most other cephalopods evolved from them
90
What was the first group to evolve form the Bacteroids?
Goniatites (from Ammonoids)
91
When did the Goniatites evolve?
Upper Devonian-Permian
92
What is unique about the Goniatites?
-suture line is lobed like gothic arch
93
When did Ceratites evolve?
Upper Permian/Triassic
94
What is unique about the Ceratites?
- rounded "ceratic" lobes
| - used in Triasic biostratigraphy
95
What is unique about the Ammonites?
-small lobes
96
When did the Ammonites dominate?
Jurassic and Cretaceous
97
What are Baculites?
- uncoiled ammonoid (straight)
- late cretaceous
- used in Alberta
- demonstrates process of uncoiling
98
What looks like a bunch of sheep horns?
Nipponites
99
What is unique about Nipponites
- complete uncoiling in irregular
| - late Cretaceous
100
When did Belemnites evolve?
Late Paleozoic (Permian - from Bactritoids)
101
What is unique about Belemnites?
- endoskeleton
| - ancestor to squids and octopi
102
What was the oldest chordate?
Pikaia
103
What was unique about Pikaia?
- middle Cambrian
- burgess shale
- notochord
104
What was unique about Lykokunmingia
- early Cambrian
- found in China
- vertebral column but lacks skull/jaw
105
When did Conodonts first appear?
Upper Cambrian
106
What are the conodonts made from?
Calcium phosphate (apatite) and organic matter
107
What is unique about the conodonts?
evidence of complex chewing
108
When did the conodonts become extinct?
Triassic/Jurassic boundary
109
Who were the early Ordovician agnathans?
Sacabambaspis
110
What is unique about sacabambaspis?
- earliest true vertebrates
- head protected by bony plates
- only found in western hemisphere
111
Describe the Astraspis
- has scales
| - western hemisphere only
112
Describe Lasanius
-oldest member of the agnathan group
113
Describe Jamoythyus
- marine habitat
| - Silurian agnathan
114
What is unique about Ostracoderms?
-strong cephalic shield
115
What is unique about Lanarkia
Has dorsal ventral compressed body
| adaptation to life on sea bottom
116
What two groups evolved from the Placoderms
- Arthrodires
| - Antiarchs
117
Describe Arthrodires
predators of large dimensions
118
Describe Antiarchs
Mud-grubbers just like their ostracoderm ancestors
119
What Arthrodires was a predator during the late Paleozoic?
Dunkleosteus
120
Which species of Antiarchs first showed paired fins?
Coccosteus
121
What was the name of the ancient shark that lived during the Devonian
Cladoselache
122
What are the Crossopterygians?
Lobed finned fishes that gave birth to the land vertebrates
123
When did the Crossopterygians evolve?
Lower Devonian
124
What is the name of the fish that is still living today between Africa and Madagascar?
The Coelacanth: Latimeria
125
What are the names of the 2 first land species?
Ichthyostega and Acanthostega
126
What are the characteristics of the first land vertebrates?
- Late Devonian
- still had fish characterizations like internal gills, delicate vertebra
- back limbs had more than five toes
127
What are stem tetrapods?
They are tetrapods that did not lead to either the amphibia or amniota groups
128
What are considered amniota?
Birds reptiles and mammals
129
What are Lisamphibians?
Smooth amphibians. Which include newts, salamanders, frogs etc
130
When did the Lisamphibians first appear?
Late Permian-Triassic
131
Which of the first two land species was better adapted for land?
Ichthyostega
132
How are the ribs of the Acanthostega shaped?
Like that of fish
133
Who was the first tetrapod to have 5 toes?
Pederpes
| Early Carboniferous in Scotland
134
What are the two groups of tetrapods from the late Paleozoic?
Anthracosaurians and Temnospondyls
135
What gave rise to the amniotes?
Anthracosaurians
136
What gave rise to the Lisamphibians?
Temnospondyls (ancestors to modern amphibians)
137
Temnospondyls were a very diverse group, what are two species from this group?
Eryops and Cacops
138
What does Eryops resemble?
Similar to a crocodile with a long tail.
139
What does Cacops resemble?
Similar to a frog but was completely adapted to terrestrial life.
140
What are the features of Anthracosaurs?
- advanced amphibians
- crocodile like fisheaters
- jaws designed for slamming shut
- long slender bodies
141
What is unique about Seymouria?
-Fully adapted to terrestrial life. Thought to be a reptile but lacking chest bone so considered an amphibian
142
What is the name of the early amniote of the late Caboniferous?
Hylonomus
143
What three groups evolved in the late Carboniferous (holes)?
Anapsids, Diapsids, and synapsids
144
What are anapsids?
Tetrapods because they contain no holes behind the eye sockets
145
What are synadsids?
Single hole behind the eye. Became dominant during the late Paleozoic.
146
What are diapsids?
Two holes behind the eye sockets. Took over the Triassic. All reptiles of the Mesozoic are diapsids
147
What are the two groups of dominant pelycosaurs and how are they similar?
Dimetrodon and edaphosaurus, both have back sails
148
What does Dimetrodon and Edaphosaurus eat?
Carnivore (first land predator) and herbivore
149
How were pelycosaurs able to live in a wide range of environments?
They developed bevhavioural thermoregulation
150
What are therapsids?
Mammal like reptiles- bodies were adapted to retain the heat
151
Who was the oldest diapsid?
Petrolacosaurus (small sized insectivore)
152
What are the two major groups of diapsids that diversified during the late Permian?
Lepidosaurs (lizards and snakes) and Archosaurs (crocodiles)
153
What are the features of Lepidosaurs?
- terrestrial and quadrupedal
- evolved in early Triassic but not dominant
- squamates became the snakes and lizards
154
Since the Archosaurs are extremely diverse, what did they give rise to?
thecondonts, cocodiliams, pterosaurians and dinosaurs
155
Describe the placodonts
- having hard blunt teeth for crushing
| - large iguana like creatures
156
What are the Nothosaurs?
Predators who were not fully aquatic
157
What are the Plesiosaurs?
Massive bodies with very long neck. Limbs were paddle like in structure
158
What species is known as the fish-lizard that resembles a dolphin?
Ichthyosaurs
159
What are the general features of dinosaurs?
- Terrestrial
- Mesozoic reptiles
- diapsid
- evolved from thecodonts
160
What are the two groups of dinosaurs that are grouped by the orientation of the pubis bone?
Saurischia and Ornithischia
161
Describe the bones of the Saurischian.
The pubis bone in down and forward from the ilium and ischium.
162
Describe the bones of the Ornithischia.
The pubis bone is down and back following parallel to the ischium
163
What are the three suborders of the Saurichian dinosaurs?
Staurikosauria
Theropoda
Sauropodomorpha
164
What are the five suborders of the Ornithischian dinosaurs?
```
Ornithopoda
Pachycephalosauria
Stegosauria
Ankylosauria
Ceratopsida
```
165
Describe Staurikosaurus.
- small
- bipedal
- carnivore
166
Who was the first major predator of the dinosaur group during the late Triassic?
Herrerasaurus (under the Staurikosauria group)
167
Describe in general the theropods.
-carnivores
-variable size
-bipedal
fast runners
168
What is an example of a theropod?
Ceratsaurus and Tyrannosaurus
169
Who were the largest animals on Earth?
The Sauropodomorphs
170
What are the two herbivorous groups of the Sauropodomorphs?
Prosauropoda and Sauropoda
171
What is unique about Platesosaurus (Prosauropoda)?
Still resembles carnivorous ancestor but has mixed diet and mixed walking of both bipedal and quadrupedal.
172
Who is the true Sauropoda?
Ultrasaurus (looks like Brachiosaurus)
173
What are the general characteristics of the Ornithipoda group?
- mixed walking with stronger hind limbs
| - herbivore with specialized dentition
174
What are the two representative of the Ornithopoda group and what defines them?
Hadrosaurus - duck billed dinosaur
| Corythosaurus - well developed crest
175
What is unique about the Pachycephalosaurs?
Thickened skull probable used for battery ram
176
What is unique about the Stegosaurs?
- bony plates on dorsal side called osteoderms
- quadrupedal
- Jurassic and early Cretaceous
177
What is unique about the Ankylosaurs?
- Amour on the back embedded in the skin
- Crestaceous
- quadrupedal
- club on end of tail
178
What are the two genera of the Ankylosaurs?
Ankylosaurus and Edmontonia
179
What is unique about the Ceratopsians?
- Late Cretaceous
- quadrupedal
- herbivores
- skull protected by a shield
180
What is a genera of the Ceratopsians?
Triceratops
181
What defines the Pterosauria?
- Evolved flight many times over in the late Triassic (ie polyphyletic)
- hollow bones
- fur
- diet determined from dentition
182
What genera belong to the Pterosauria?
Tropeognathus and Pteranodon
183
What is unique about Tropognathus?
- Cretaceous
| - 2 portions of the beak make sculpture
184
What is unique about the Pteranodon?
Could fly over the Atlantic
185
When did the birds evolve?
Late Jurassic
186
What was the name of the first bird and where was it found?
Archaeopteryx found in zolenofen limestone of Germany
| -now has feathers instead of fur
187
When did Protarchaeopteryx evolve?
Lower Cretaceous of China
188
What is unique about Iberomesornis?
Capable of active flight
- similar size and shape of pigeons
- found in Spain
189
What is the Arboreal hypothesis?
That flight evolved from gliders
190
What is the Cursorial hypothesis?
That flight evolved from runners who flapped only slightly to avoid items on the ground
191
What are the closest relatives to the living birds?
Hesperornis from the late Cretaceous
192
What are the transitions to birds?
- loss of teeth
- evolution of pygostyle (used for mating and tail)
- toe arrangement
- pneumatic bones (completely empty)
193
What is unique about Endoceras?
Major predators in Ordovician and early Silurian
194
When did Ammonoids evolve?
early Devonian, extinct at Cretaceous/Paleogene boundary
