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Evolution Unit Exam Section II

Free-Response Questions: Question 1 is a 6 point question while question 2 is a 4 point question. Both should require
about 6 minutes each to answer. Read each question carefully and write your response in the space provided following
each question. Only material written in the space will be scored. Answer must be written out. Outline form is not
acceptable. It is important that you read each question completely before you begin to write.

1. Phylogeny reflects the evolutionary history of organisms.

a. Discuss TWO mechanisms of speciation that lead to the development of separate species from a
common ancestor.
b. The two phylogenetic trees represent the relationship of whales to six other mammals. For EACH
tree, describe a monophyletic group and identify the closet relative to the whale.
c. Based on the principle of parsimony (the simplest explanation is the best and most likely) and
the genomic information in the table shown on the next page, identify which tree is the best
representation of the evolutionary relationship of these animals and justify your answer with the
data provided.