Midterm

1 a. Draw a phylogeny of the major groups of tetrapods and include all major tetrapod lineages. On your phylogeny also include the following outgroups: Actinopterygii (Ray finned fish), Actinista (Lobefin that are not lungfish), Dipnoi (Lungfish). Your phylogeny must include the proper cladistic relationships.

1 b. On your phylogeny use lines or brackets to demarcate the following sub groups of tetrapods: Lissamphibia, Amniota, Reptilia, Diapsida, Anapsida, Lepidosauria, Squamata. Describe at least one important shared derived feature for each.

2 a. Is leglessness a useful diagnostic character that can be used in reconstructing squamate phylogeny? [That is, does its appearance in the phylogeny aid in determining relationship as a shared derived character?] Illustrate your point with a crude phylogeny of squamates.

2b. What three traits distinguish lizards from serpentes?

3. Write down the energy balance equation and discuss each term with regards to ecotherm energy balance. Which terms are likely to affect amphibians and which are more likely to affect reptiles (explain why)?

4 a. Compare and contrast acute versus chronic thermal physiological traits and list two of each.

b. Why should we expect thermal performance breadth to evolve in a species of lizard that is found in a forest (and do the same arguments apply for acute versus chronic physiological traits)?

5. Describe the trade-off between the number versus size of offspring. Include graphs relating the life history traits (clutch size, egg mass) and the fitness of the female parent and another graph relating life history traits with fitness of her progeny.

6. Outline the endocrine control of amphibian metamorphosis. Where in this cascade might mutations lead to the evolution of paedomorphosis? Show how such changes map onto a phylogeny of salamander families.

7. Describe all of the different key innovations that have allowed lizards and salamanders radiate into arboreal habitats. How does each mode aid in locomotion in arboreal habitats (indicate the physical principles)?

8. Compare the action of the tongue of a toad, the projectile tongue of a lungless salamander, and the projectile tongue of a chameleon. Diagrams of each with a label of the key morphological features are necessary.