Question

Q1) The potassium channel blocking venom of three species (a sea anemone, a snake and a scorpion) all contain a hydrophobic residue and a lysine that are close to each other in the final molecular structure, even though they occur at different places in the amino acid sequence of the molecule in each species. This is an example of:
a) convergent evolution
b) parallel development
c) homology
d) synapomorphy
e) reversal

Q2)In the eyes of vertebrates, including our own, the photoreceptors point to the back of the retina, away from incoming light, and the nerves and blood vessels are on the side of the incoming light. This means that any image formed on the vertebrate retina has to pass though layers of blood vessels and ganglion cells, attenuating and distorting the image. To increase visual acuity, vertebrates focus light on a small patch of retina, the fovea, where the blood vessels and nerves have been pushed aside. However, this patch is small because of the high nutrient requirements of the retina. Also, blood vessels and nerves must pass through the retina, creating a blind spot, where no image is formed. The eyes of vertebrates are an example of what phenomenon?

a) Blending inheritance.
b) Directed mutation.
c) Imperfect adaptation.
d) Inheritance of acquired characteristics.
e) Vestigial structure.

Q3)You are studying the fauna of an oceanic island of volcanic origin in the Indian ocean and comparing it to the nearest mainland. Imagine 8 families of land birds, labeled A–H. Examples of different bird families include the Falconidae (falcons and caracaras), the Psittaculidae (parrots), the Trochilidae (hummingbirds), and the Columbidae (pidgeons and doves). Which of the following patterns of bird diversity would you expect to find? (Note: 5A means 5 species of family A.)

a) Mainland: 0A, 0B, 1C, 13D, 0E, 1F, 0G, 2H.
Island: 1A, 0B, 0C, 11D, 1E, 0F, 1G, 1H.

b) Mainland: 0A, 0B, 1C, 13D, 0E, 1F, 0G, 2H.
Island: 20A, 24B, 22C, 4D, 25E, 11F, 8G, 33H.

c) Mainland: 20A, 24B, 22C, 4D, 25E, 11F, 8G, 33H.
  Island: 0A, 0B, 1C, 13D, 0E, 1F, 0G, 2H.

d) Mainland: 20A, 24B, 22C, 4D, 25E, 11F, 8G, 33H.
Island: 18A, 25B, 19C, 5D, 23E, 9F, 9G, 31H.

e) Mainland: 20A, 24B, 22C, 4D, 25E, 11F, 8G, 33H.
Island: 31A, 73B, 26C, 31D, 81E, 26F, 61G, 54H.

Answer 1

Answer1 - The correct answer is Convergent evolution. As two or more species occupy similar nucleotide sequence but they are not developmentally related. They converged into similar trait , although not very nearly perfect structure as changes occur with mutations at the genetic level but with some conserved sequences we can get a sight on the type of evolution emerged here as all three are not developmentally related but occupy some similarities . It could not be parallel development as we can not say if they are exposed to similar environmental pressures, nor homology where there ancestors are same . Neither synapomorphy where trait is present in evolutionary descendant .

Answer 2- The eyes of vertebrates are an example of imperfect adaptation. The creation of a blind spot depicts that eyes are not perfectly adapted to the environmental conditions.Like many other organisms do not contain that set of blind spots , or some have even gained more advantageous traits like the night visions like tigers . These are not vestigial structures , nor directed mutation due to environmental pressure, neither a acquired character. It is also not a blending inheritance between two organisms where they acquire mix of the two character . It prevail in human beings and can be demonstrated as an example of imperfect adaptation.  

Answer 3- Answer is clearly D. As answer A, B depicts zero species in the mainland which is not possible as the island gets the migrated species from mainland .Neither C which has 0 species in island .Answer E shows more number of species in island which is also not possible as extinction is higher in island when number of species increases. As the island have a particular carrying capacity and food resources available. So the correct answer is D where both mainland and island occupy the species , also island doesnt occupy more species than the mainland.