A squirrel population lives in an area. Over many years, a river in that area grows wider and stronger, eventually forming a canyon. The squirrel populations on the two sides of the canyon can no longer mate with each other and ultimately form distinct species. This is an example of

Question

Question 4 options:

A)

sympatric speciation.

B)

allopatric speciation.

C)

penultimate speciation.

D)

differential speciation.

Answer 1

The scenario described is an example of B) allopatric speciation. This type of speciation occurs when a population is geographically divided, leading to reproductive isolation and the gradual evolution of distinct species. In this case, the formation of the canyon prevents the squirrel populations from mating with each other, resulting in the development of distinct species on either side.