TPO 2-1 The Origins of Cetaceans

Although limited to a skull, the Pakicetus fossil provides precious details on the origins of cetaceans.

It should be obvious that cetaceans—whales, porpoises, and dolphins—are mammals.

It should be obvious that cetaceans—whales, porpoises, and dolphins—are mammals.

It should be obvious that cetaceans—whales, porpoises, and dolphins—are mammals.

Their streamlined bodies, the absence of hind legs, and the presence of a fluke1 and blowhole2 cannot disguise their affinities with land dwelling mammals.

Their streamlined bodies, the absence of hind legs, and the presence of a fluke1 and blowhole2 cannot disguise their affinities with land dwelling mammals.

Their streamlined bodies, the absence of hind legs, and the presence of a fluke1 and blowhole2 cannot disguise their affinities with land dwelling mammals.

Their streamlined bodies, the absence of hind legs, and the presence of a fluke1 and blowhole2 cannot disguise their affinities with land dwelling mammals.

Their streamlined bodies, the absence of hind legs, and the presence of a fluke1 and blowhole2 cannot disguise their affinities with land dwelling mammals.

Their streamlined bodies, the absence of hind legs, and the presence of a fluke1 and blowhole2 cannot disguise their affinities with land dwelling mammals.

However, unlike the cases of sea otters and pinnipeds (seals, sea lions, and walruses, whose limbs are functional both on land and at sea), it is not easy to envision what the first whales looked like.

The legs were certainly functional both on land and at sea.

However, unlike the cases of sea otters and pinnipeds (seals, sea lions, and walruses, whose limbs are functional both on land and at sea), it is not easy to envision what the first whales looked like.

The now extinct whale Ambulocetus natans ("the walking whale that swam") lived in the Tethys Sea 49 million years ago.

Extinct but already fully marine cetaceans are known from the fossil record.

Extinct but already fully marine cetaceans are known from the fossil record.

Extinct but already fully marine cetaceans are known from the fossil record.

How was the gap between a walking mammal and a swimming whale bridged?

Missing until recently were fossils clearly intermediate, or transitional, between land mammals and cetaceans.

Missing until recently were fossils clearly intermediate, or transitional, between land mammals and cetaceans.

Very exciting discoveries have finally allowed scientists to reconstruct the most likely origins of cetaceans.

Very exciting discoveries have finally allowed scientists to reconstruct the most likely origins of cetaceans.

Very exciting discoveries have finally allowed scientists to reconstruct the most likely origins of cetaceans.

Very exciting discoveries have finally allowed scientists to reconstruct the most likely origins of cetaceans.

Very exciting discoveries have finally allowed scientists to reconstruct the most likely origins of cetaceans.

In 1979, a team looking for fossils in northern Pakistan found what proved to be the oldest fossil whale.

The fossil was officially named Pakicetus in honor of the country where the discovery was made.

The fossil was officially named Pakicetus in honor of the country where the discovery was made.

Pakicetus was found embedded in rocks formed from river deposits that were 52 million years old.

The river that formed these deposits was actually not far from an ancient ocean known as the Tethys Sea.

The river that formed these deposits was actually not far from an ancient ocean known as the Tethys Sea.

The fossil consists of a complete skull of an archaeocyte, an extinct group of ancestors of modern cetaceans.

The fossil consists of a complete skull of an archaeocyte, an extinct group of ancestors of modern cetaceans.

The fossil consists of a complete skull of an archaeocyte, an extinct group of ancestors of modern cetaceans.

The fossil consists of a complete skull of an archaeocyte, an extinct group of ancestors of modern cetaceans.

Although limited to a skull, the Pakicetus fossil provides precious details on the origins of cetaceans.

Although limited to a skull, the Pakicetus fossil provides precious details on the origins of cetaceans.

Although limited to a skull, the Pakicetus fossil provides precious details on the origins of cetaceans.

The skull is cetacean-like but its jawbones lack the enlarged space that is filled with fat or oil and used for receiving underwater sound in modern whales.

Pakicetus probably detected sound through the ear opening as in land mammals.

Pakicetus probably detected sound through the ear opening as in land mammals.

The skull also lacks a blowhole, another cetacean adaptation for diving.

Other features, however, show experts that Pakicetus is a transitional form between a group of extinct flesh-eating mammals, the mesonychids, and cetaceans.

Other features, however, show experts that Pakicetus is a transitional form between a group of extinct flesh-eating mammals, the mesonychids, and cetaceans.

It has been suggested that Pakicetus fed on fish in shallow water and was not yet adapted for life in the open ocean.

It has been suggested that Pakicetus fed on fish in shallow water and was not yet adapted for life in the open ocean.

It has been suggested that Pakicetus fed on fish in shallow water and was not yet adapted for life in the open ocean.

Another major discovery was made in Egypt in 1989.

Several skeletons of another early whale, Basilosaurus, were found in sediments left by the Tethys Sea and now exposed in the Sahara desert.

Several skeletons of another early whale, Basilosaurus, were found in sediments left by the Tethys Sea and now exposed in the Sahara desert.

Several skeletons of another early whale, Basilosaurus, were found in sediments left by the Tethys Sea and now exposed in the Sahara desert.

Several skeletons of another early whale, Basilosaurus, were found in sediments left by the Tethys Sea and now exposed in the Sahara desert.

Many incomplete skeletons were found but they included, for the first time in an archaeocyte, a complete hind leg that features a foot with three tiny toes.

Many incomplete skeletons were found but they included, for the first time in an archaeocyte, a complete hind leg that features a foot with three tiny toes.

Basilosaurus was undoubtedly a fully marine whale with possibly nonfunctional, or vestigial, hind legs.

Basilosaurus was undoubtedly a fully marine whale with possibly nonfunctional, or vestigial, hind legs.

An even more exciting find was reported in 1994, also from Pakistan.

The fossil luckily includes a good portion of the hind legs.

The legs were certainly functional both on land and at sea.

The whale retained a tail and lacked a fluke, the major means of locomotion in modern cetaceans.

Fluke: the two parts that constitute the large triangular tail of a whale 2.

The structure of the backbone shows, however, that Ambulocetus swam like modern whales by moving the rear portion of its body up and down, even though a fluke was missing.

The large hind legs were used for propulsion in water.

It was undoubtedly a whale that linked life on land with life at sea 1.

Fluke: the two parts that constitute the large triangular tail of a whale 2.

○It clearly indicates that cetaceans are mammals.

○It cannot conceal the fact that cetaceans are mammals.

○It is the main difference between cetaceans and land-dwelling mammals.

○It cannot yield clues about the origins of cetaceans.

○It cannot yield clues about the origins of cetaceans.

Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 1 about early sea otters?

○It is not difficult to imagine what they looked like.

○It is not difficult to imagine what they looked like.

The word “precious” in the passage is closest in meaning to ○exact ○scarce ○valuable ○initial 4.

The word “precious” in the passage is closest in meaning to ○exact ○scarce ○valuable ○initial 4.

The word “precious” in the passage is closest in meaning to ○exact ○scarce ○valuable ○initial 4.

Pakicetus and modern cetaceans have similar ○hearing structures ○adaptations for diving ○skull shapes ○breeding locations 5.

Pakicetus and modern cetaceans have similar ○hearing structures ○adaptations for diving ○skull shapes ○breeding locations 5.

Pakicetus and modern cetaceans have similar ○hearing structures ○adaptations for diving ○skull shapes ○breeding locations 5.

The word “exposed” in the passage is closest in meaning to ○explained ○visible ○identified ○located 7.

The word “exposed” in the passage is closest in meaning to ○explained ○visible ○identified ○located 7.

The word “exposed” in the passage is closest in meaning to ○explained ○visible ○identified ○located 7.

The word “exposed” in the passage is closest in meaning to ○explained ○visible ○identified ○located 7.

The hind leg of Basilosaurus was a significant find because it showed that Basilosaurus ○lived later than Ambulocetus natans ○lived at the same time as Pakicetus ○was able to swim well ○could not have walked on land 8.

○In a marine environment

Why does the author use the word “luckily” in mentioning that the Ambulocetus natans fossil included hind legs?

○The legs provided important information about the evolution of cetaceans.

○Until that time, only the front legs of early whales had been discovered.

Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage?

Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage?

Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage?

○The backbone of Ambulocetus, which allowed it to swim, provides evidence of its missing fluke.

The word “propulsion” in the passage is closest in meaning to ○staying afloat ○changing direction ○decreasing weight ○moving forward

The word “propulsion” in the passage is closest in meaning to ○staying afloat ○changing direction ○decreasing weight ○moving forward

Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below.

Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below.

Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage.

Some answer choices do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage.

This passage discusses fossils that help to explain the likely origins of cetaceans—whales, porpoises, and dolphins.

○Recent discoveries of fossils have helped to show the link between land mammals and cetaceans.

○Recent discoveries of fossils have helped to show the link between land mammals and cetaceans.

○The skeleton of Basilosaurus was found in what had been the Tethys Sea, an area rich in fossil evidence.