Name ____________________________________________ Per _____ Study Guide Due Date _______
Evolution Test Study Guide
IMPORTANT THINGS TO KNOW:
● The exam is worth 15% of your marking period grade.
● Be sure to bring at least 2 pencils with good erasers on the exam date.
● Your test will take place on:
Wednesday, April 23rd (A-Day) OR Thursday, April 24th (B-Day)
Directions: You will apply the Model of Natural Selection to the scenario below. Use a
highlighter to annotate the scenario to help you respond to the questions that follow.
Cichlid Fish in East African Great Lakes
Africa has its own version of the Great Lakes
called, East African Great Lakes. The East
African Great Lakes are made up of 7 lakes
but the 3 largest ones are Lake Victoria
(26,564 mi2 - second largest lake in the world),
Lake Tanganyika (12, 703 mi2 - comparable to
the size of Maryland), and Lake Malawi
(11,429 mi2 - larger than Puerto Rico). Each of
these 3 lakes have distinct habitats as a result
of climate change.
The initial population of Cichlid Fish are 8
inches in length, have wide bodies, and have
an aggressive temperament (behavior). Fishermen have introduced Cichlid Fish to all three
lakes. Overtime, researchers have noticed the following about the Cichlid Fish in each of the
lakes:
★ In Lake Malawi, Cichlid Fish are 3 inches long on average and
have flattened bodies to hide in the rocky bed of the lake.
★ In Lake Victoria, Cichlid Fish have long bodies (10 inches
long on average) and have retractable jaws to allow them
to find food at the bottom of the sandy bed of the lake.
★ In Lake Tanganyika, the lakebed has lots of vegetation and
the Cichlid Fish are 4 inches long on average and have a
streamlined body to maneuver around aquatic plants.
Step 1: Initial Population
1. What are the variations in the initial population of Cichlid Fish?
(Check all that apply)
● Colorful scales ● 8 inches is length
● Wide body ● 3 inches in length
● Streamlined bodies ● 4 inches in length
● Retractable jaws ● 10 inches in length
● Flattened bodies ● Fast swimmers
2. In order for evolution to occur in the populations of Cichlid Fish, what is necessary?
a. a population of different species
b. a population with variations
c. a population that is very large in size
3. In 1 sentence, explain your reasoning to question 2a.
Step 2: Change in environment
4. What are the selective pressures that led to the different Cichlid Fish characteristics in
Lake Victoria, Lake Malawi, and Lake Tanganyika?
a. The locals who hunted these fish for food.
b. The fisherman transferred fish from one lake to another.
c. The different habitats as a result of climate change.
5. Why is natural selection dependent on selective pressures in an environment?
(Check all that apply)
● Selective pressures choose which traits in a population are advantageous.
● Selective pressures choose which individuals in a population can change over
their lifetime.
● Advantageous traits are passed down over generations, resulting in changes
to a population.
● Advantageous traits are acquired variations which don’t get passed down
over generations.
Step 3: Advantageous trait
6. If a Cichlid Fish from Lake Malawi was transferred to Lake Victoria, would it survive?
a. No, the chances of survival are random.
b. No, the advantageous trait in Lake Victoria is different thus this fish would not
be well adapted to the new environment.
c. Yes, the fish would adapt to the new environment to increase its chances of
survival.
d. Yes, the chances of survival are random.
Step 4: Offspring
7. If two Cichlid Fish with the advantageous trait from Lake Malawi survive and
reproduce, their offspring will inherit which of the following?
a. Traits that are a combination of their parents’ advantageous traits and
random variations.
b. The exact same traits as their parents.
c. The advantageous trait but still have some variations.
d. No traits from their parents, as inheritance does not occur in Cichlid Fish.
Step 5: Future generations
8. If the researchers returned 500 years later to observe the Cichlid Fish in all 3 lakes,
what might they notice?
a. The Cichlid Fish would have the same advantageous traits.
b. The Cichlid Fish will evolve into 3 different species but share a common
ancestor.
c. The Cichlid Fish will become the biggest predators in their habitat as they
better adapt to their environments.
9. Observe the diagram to the right. Which
organism is most closely related to the
Cichlid Fish?
a. Salamander
b. Tortoise
c. Chicken
d. Pig
e. Cow
f. Rabbit
g. Human
h. None
10. a. Is the embryology diagram from question #9 a piece of evidence that supports
the theory of natural selection? (Circle one) Yes or No
b. Explain your response to question #10a.
11. How can DNA be used to support the theory of natural selection?
12. A. The diagram to the right shows the similarities between structures of different
organisms. These structures are called ___________.
a. Vestigial structures
b. Homologous structures
c. Bone structures
d. Species structures
B. Explain how this diagram from
question #12A. can be used to support
the theory of natural selection?
13. Which of the following statements does not describe evolution?
a. A change in a species overtime
b. A result of the process of natural selection
c. A deliberate and purposeful change in a species
d. A gradual process in a population
