Key Traits and Synapomorphies of Tree of Life

Question 1

1: shared traits of all organisms

Answer 1

• cells
• Central Dogma
• ATP
• C-H organic compounds

Question 2

2: shared traits of Bacteria

Answer 2

• peptidoglycan in cell walls
• short RNA polymerases
• translation not stated with Met

Question 3

3: shared traits of Archaea + Eukarya

Answer 3

• long RNA polymerases
• translation started with Met
• histone proteins

Question 4

4: main synapomorphies of Eukarya

Answer 4

• nuclear envelope
• linear chromosomes
• membrane bound organelles

Question 5

5: synapomorphy of Excavata

Answer 5

-excavated feeding groove

Question 6

6: key trait of Rhizaria

includes foraminiferans

Answer 6

-amoeboid motion with slender pseudopodia

Question 7

7: synapomorphy of Alveolata

includes ciliates & dinoflagellates

Answer 7

-sac-like alveoli under plasma membrane

Question 8

8: synapomorphy of Stramenopila

diatoms, water molds, & brown algae

Answer 8

-hairy flagella

Question 9

9: synapomorphy of red algae

Answer 9

-phycoerythrin

Question 10

10: synapomorphy of “green plants”

green algae & land plants

Answer 10

• cellulose

- chlorophyll a+b

Question 11

11: synapomorphies of land plants

Answer 11

• cuticle
• stomata
• flavinoids

Question 12

12: synapomorphies of vascular plants

Answer 12

-tracheids (with lignin)

Question 13

13: synapomorphies of seed plants

Answer 13

• seeds
• true leaves
• wood

Question 14

14: traits of Amoebozoa

includes lobose amoeba & slime molds

Answer 14

-amoeboid movement

convergent evolution with Rhizaria

Question 15

15: key traits of fungi

Answer 15

• hyphae
• chitin in cell walls
• extracellular digestion

Question 16

16: key traits of Porifera

Answer 16

• choanocytes

- spicules

Question 17

17: ancestor of Ctenophora + Cnidaria

Answer 17

• diploblasty

- diffuse nerve net

Question 18

18: ctenophora

Answer 18

• “combs” of cilia

- colloblasts

Question 19

19: Cnidaria

Answer 19

• cnidocytes

- mesoglea

Question 20

20: key traits Bilateria

Answer 20

• bilateral
• cephalization
• central nervous system
• triploblasty
• coelom

Question 21

21: Protosomes

Answer 21

-protostome development

Question 22

22: Deuterostomes

Answer 22

-deuterostome development

Question 23

23: key traits of Lophotrochozoa

includes Platyhelminthes and Mollusks

Answer 23

Platyhelminthes

• loss of coelom
• loss of complete digestive tract

Mollusks

• body plan with foot, visceral mass, mantle
• radula

Question 24

24: main traits of Ecdysozoa

includes Arthropods and Nematoda

Answer 24

-molt during growth

Arthropods

• jointed appendages
• Tagmata

Question 25

25: main traits of Echinodermata

Answer 25

• adult pentaradial symmetry

- water vascular system

Question 26

26: main traits of Chordata

Answer 26

• Pharyngeal gill slits
• dorsal hollow nerve chord
• notochord
• post-anal tail