Life Has a History scavenger hunt key

As you navigate through Life Has A History, keep your eyes open for answers to the following questions.

1. Find the information describing the 30 million species of living organisms. Of that 30 million, how many are NOT animals? [HINT: Subtract the total number of animal species currently known.]

28.5 million species of living things are not animals.

2. Find the three lens views comparing the oceans through time. Name one animal common to today's ocean whose relatives were also around 470 million years ago.

Ancient corals and relatives of the squid and nautilus were also found in the oceans 470 million years ago.

3. Find the timeline. How many millions of years did dinosaurs exist on Earth before they became extinct?

Dinosaurs existed for roughly 160 million years before they became extinct.

4. Find and name at least five things other than bones that can be preserved as fossils.

Shells, tree trunks, footprints, pollen and tiny organisms can also be preserved as fossils.

5. Find a picture of Deinonychus and three of its relatives. What feature do the birds all share that Deinonychus does not?

Deinonychus lacked feathers.

6. During this tour, you will learn about cladograms. When you reach that point, complete this sentence:

A cladogram is a diagram that shows...
evolutionary relationships or how groups of organisms are related to each other.

7. Find the bar graph that shows the differences in beak size among three species of Galápagos finches. Name the species of finch that has a beak that can be longer than 15 mm.

Only Geospiza scandens has individuals within the population whose beaks are longer than 15 mm.

8. Find the page showing three graphs side by side. The graph on the right shows an increase in the finch's body and bill. Why did that happen?

The finches with larger body and bill size were better adapted to eat the larger, harder seeds, so they increased in number.

BONUS QUESTION: What is a quagga and why can't you have one for a pet?

The quagga is an animal from the plains of Africa which is a close relative of the zebra. Unfortunately it was hunted by humans for its beautiful hide and it is now extinct.

SUPER BONUS: What is a nasal passage and how might Lambeosaurus have used his?

The nasal passage is the enclosed space extending from the nostrils to the pharynx (back of the throat). In Lambeosaurus, the nasal passage extended far up into the head in the form of a hollow crest. This may have acted like a resonating chamber, much like a tuba, allowing Lambeosaurus to produce loud calls.