Birla Institute of Technology & Science – Pilani, Hyderabad Campus
First Semester 2021- 2022 Comprehensive Examination (Open book)
Integrated Biology BIO F214
Date: 22.12.2021 Duration: 180 minutes Weightage: 40 %=40X2=80 M
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Answer ALL the questions in the given sequence ONLY.
Q1. Illustrate the following
a. Describe our ancestral species along with their acquired characters that evolved into Homo sapiens (4M)
b. Explain bipedalism and how it came into existence. Is it advantageous? (4M)
c. Is adaptive radiation convergent or divergent evolution. Explain. (4M)
d. Differentiate features of chordates from non-chordates. (4M)
e. Why circulation system came into existence. Describe advantages of open circulatory system over closed
circulatory system. (4M)
f. Discuss the evolution of digestive tract with emphasis on malpighian tubules. (4M)
g. How do organisms with exoskeleton grow in size? Explain with example. (4M)
Q2.a During the late 19th century, hundreds of people died in Mumbai due to an earthquake followed by an
epidemic of plague. Based on your understanding which evolutionary changes/aspects played a role here. What
would have been the after effect of the epidemic? (4M)
b. One of the most striking examples of convergent evolution occurs among animals that permanently live in
caves. Among other shared traits, many of these species are eyeless. Develop a hypothesis to explain how an
eyeless species could evolve from an ancestral population with eyes. How does your hypothesis compare to
how Lamarck might have explained it? (4M)
c. Many articles about the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria claim that overuse of antibiotics create resistant
strains. How is this incorrect or correct? (4M)
d. In the past, classification has relied primarily on the evolution of morphological characteristics. Modern
approaches are relying more heavily on molecular analysis. Defend the claim that molecular approaches are
very important in developing evolutionary hypotheses. (4M)
Q3. Differentiate (with examples)
a. Coelomates vs Pseudocoelomates vs Acoelomates (6M)
b. Protostomes vs Deuterostomes (4M)
c. Relative dating vs Absolute dating (4M)
Q4. a. How tracheophytes manage to grow in height in comparisons with its predecessor species. Discuss the
acquired characters (4M)
b. Describe the malaria parasite, its classification and life cycle. (6M)
b. Banana may extinct in future. Explain. (4M)
d. Write a short note on Mushrooms. (4M)
f. Name the extinct genus of amphibious cetacean that represents a transitional stage between land mammals
and whales. Discuss its line of evolution. (4M)
