In the evolutionary sense, which organism has the highest fitness?
Correct answer: D. A prairie dog that, though smaller than the average member of her species, has twice as many healthy young offspring in each litter
- A. A sterile mule that can pull over 800 pounds
- B. A childless human male who lives to be over one hundred years old
- C. A dog who cannot give birth due to a hip abnormality, but is healthy in all other respects
- D. A prairie dog that, though smaller than the average member of her species, has twice as many healthy young offspring in each litter
Explanation
A prairie dog that, though smaller than the average member of her species, has twice as many healthy young offspring in each litter, A prairie dog that produces more healthy offspring in each litter would have higher fitness compared to other options. Its ability to pass on more of its genes to the next generation through successful reproduction makes it more fit from an evolutionary perspective.
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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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