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These images show the skeletal structures of the ancient Hoplophoneus, modern mountain lion, and ancient saber-tooth cat.

Your Task

Use the information provided to answer the following questions. You will use patterns in body structures from different organisms to infer relationships and construct an explanation about the Hoplophoneus fossil.

Question 1

Scientists reconstructed the fossil found in the Badlands of South Dakota, creating a complete skeleton shown in Figure 2. They used different strategies to figure out what kind of organism the fossil might belong to.

Instructions: Use the table below to decide if each strategy would be helpful (and realistic) for understanding what the organism is.

(1 point)
Helpful NOT Helpful
Patterns from other fossils

Common body structures

Photographs of ancient organisms

Comparing to modern day organisms

How scattered the fossils were

1 answer

Here’s how each strategy can be classified based on whether it is helpful or not in understanding what the organism Hoplophoneus might be:

Helpful:

  • Patterns from other fossils: This is helpful because comparing skeletal structures can reveal evolutionary relationships and similarities that point toward a specific organism or group of organisms.

  • Common body structures: This is helpful because identifying shared anatomical features can indicate evolutionary connections and help classify the organism.

  • Photographs of ancient organisms: This can be helpful as it allows for visual comparisons between the fossil and known organisms, aiding in identification.

  • Comparing to modern day organisms: This is helpful because it can provide insights into the lifestyle, diet, and behaviors of the organism, and demonstrate evolutionary changes over time.

NOT Helpful:

  • How scattered the fossils were: This is not helpful because the distribution of fossils does not directly inform us about the anatomical characteristics or relationships of the organism. It more relates to the context of fossil discovery rather than classification or understanding the organism itself.

In summary:

| Helpful | NOT Helpful | |----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------| | Patterns from other fossils | How scattered the fossils were | | Common body structures | | | Photographs of ancient organisms | | | Comparing to modern day organisms | |