Evidence of Evolution – More Practice!

I. Matching: Match each type of evidence with its description.

A. Comparing preserved remains of dead organisms to create a
1. ____: Biochemistry
timeline of species evolution

2. ____: Fossils B. Comparing physical features between organisms, looking for

evidence of evolutionary relationships.
3. ____: Anatomy C. Comparing early stages of development to show a common
ancestry
4. ____: Embryology D. Comparing DNA sequences and amino acid sequences of shared
proteins between species
II. CIRCLE the type of evidence (ABOVE) that is the most accurate/reliable and least
objective. This is the “best” type of evidence to show evolution has occurred!
III. Use the information below to answer questions 1-3.
A. HOMOLOGOUS STRUCTURES are physical features (like bones) that are the SAME across
several species. Homologous structures have the same form but different functions. They
are compared to show that two species share a common ancestor.

B. VESTIGIAL STRUCTURES are “leftover” structures in a species that no longer have a function
or use. They are used to prove that species share a common ancestor.

1) The picture below shows some “useless” parts of a whale. The possibility that these bones
were once useful gives support to the
a. Concept that whales and elephants have the
same biochemistry
b. Theory of natural selection
c. Theory of evolution
d. Concept of fossil formation

2) In humans today, the tonsils, tailbone, and appendix are examples of

a. Homologous structures
b. Vestigial structures
c. Fossil evidence
d. Similar biochemistry
3) The picture below suggests that elephants, birds and humans
a. Share a common ancestor
b. Have the same DNA
c. Share vestigial structures
d. Use these structures for the same functions

IV. Refer to your notes on Comparative Biochemistry in your Notebook to answer each Q.

A. Compare the amino acid sequences for the hemoglobin protein in following species.

Vertebrate Species Amino Acid Sequence

Alligator Lys Glu Ser Ser Val Thr His Met Glu
Croccodile Lys Glu Ser His Val Thr His Met Phe
Turtle Met Trp Ser Thr Val Thr Ser Met Met
Rabbit Val Cys Lys Ser Val Ser Gly Cys Glu

1) How many amino acid differences are there between the:

a. Alligator and the Crocodile? ______
b. Alligator and the Turtle? ______
c. Alligator and the Rabbit? ______

2) Which species is most closely related to the Alligator? ___________. Why?

________________________________________________________________________

B. Compare the DNA sequences in following species.

Vertebrate DNA Sequence

Species
Tulip ATGAGCCGCAGTAAAAGCT
Rose ATGTGCCACAGTATAAGCT
Gardenia ATGCGCCCCAGTATAAGCT
Daffodil ATGAGCCACAGTACAATAG

3) Which species is most closely related to the Gardenia? ___________. How do you
know? ________________________________________________________________
 C. Compare the amino acid sequences in the insulin protein of the following species.

Vertebrate Species DNA code for Amino Acid Sequence

Human AAA GTG CAA GGT TAT ACG GTC ACG
Lemur AAA GTG CAG GGT TAT ACG CTC ACG
Horse AAT CTG CAA GGT TGT ACG GTG ACG
Elephant AAT ATG CAA AGT TGT ACC GTA ACG

4) Recall that DNA codes for mRNA, which is read in groups of 3 called a codon. The
codons then “code” for a specific amino acid. How many amino acid differences are there
between the:
a. Human and the lemur? ______
b. Human and the horse? ______
c. Human and the elephant? ______

5) Which species is most closely related to the Human? ___________. Why?

________________________________________________________________________

V. Refer to your notes on Fossil Evidence in your in your Notebook to answer each Q. For
questions 1-7, refer to the diagram below.

1) Which rock layer is the oldest (most ancient)? ______ How do you know?
___________________________________________

2) Which rock layer is the youngest (most recent)? ______ How do you know?
______________________________________________
3) Place the evolution of each fossil in the correct order from earliest (oldest/first) to
most recent (youngest) _______  _______ _______ _______

4) Place the evolution of each fossil in the correct order from simplest to most complex.
_______  _______ _______ _______

5) Is the fossil in layer A more closely related to the fossil in layer B or in layer C? __________

6) Which could be a logical conclusion based on the fossil evidence above?

 a. Fossil D evolved from fossil A.
b. Fossil C evolved from fossil D.
c. All of these organisms probably lived on Earth at the same time.

7) Which could be a logical conclusion based on the fossil evidence above?

a. Fossil A is more complex than fossil D.
b. Fossil D is more complex than fossil A.
c. Fossil A probably gave rise to fossils B, C, and D.