At what point are two populations descending from the same ancestral stock considered separate species?
Correct answer: A. When they can no longer produce viable, fertile offspring
- A. When they can no longer produce viable, fertile offspring
- B. When they look significantly different from each other
- C. When they can interbreed successfully and produce offspring
- D. When their habitats are separated by a significantly large distance so that they cannot meet
- E. Both B and C
Explanation
The correct answer is Option A: When they can no longer produce viable, fertile offspring. This aligns with the biological species concept, which defines species based on their ability to interbreed and produce fertile offspring. Option B is incorrect because morphological differences alone do not define species. Option C contradicts the definition of separate species. Option D is incorrect because geographical separation does not necessarily result in speciation. Option E is incorrect as both B and C are not valid reasons to consider populations as separate species.
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About Evolution
Evolution describes heritable change in populations over generations through variation, natural selection and adaptation. Lamarckism explains inheritance of acquired characteristics, while Darwinism explains selection of favourable inherited variations; these historical explanations must not be confused with the modern genetic account of evolutionary change.
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