In a population of birds, brightly colored males and very dull males survive best. Which type of selection is this, and what is most likely true about the proportion of males of intermediate coloring?(1 point)

Responses

Disruptive; males of intermediate coloring make up a small part of the population.
Disruptive; males of intermediate coloring make up a small part of the population.

Directional; males of intermediate coloring make up a small part of the population.
Directional; males of intermediate coloring make up a small part of the population.

Directional; males of intermediate coloring make up the greatest part of the population.
Directional; males of intermediate coloring make up the greatest part of the population.

Stabilizing; males of intermediate coloring make up the greatest part of the population.

1 answer

The scenario described involves both brightly colored and very dull males having higher survival rates, while males of intermediate coloring do not thrive as well. This suggests that the population is experiencing disruptive selection, which favors extreme phenotypes (the brightly colored and the dull males) over intermediate phenotypes.

Based on this understanding, the most accurate statement regarding the proportion of males of intermediate coloring would be:

Disruptive; males of intermediate coloring make up a small part of the population.