Consider the following scenario:

Question

Some fish in a murky underground lake have lighter scales than the others. This makes it slightly harder for the lighter fish to escape detection by predators, but most light-colored fish live long enough to reproduce. A natural event separates the dark-scaled fish from their light-scaled cousins, and as a result, a new species of dark-scaled fish emerges.

Which statement accurately describes the scenario?

(1 point)
Responses

The fish survived because of a non-genetic advantage.
The fish survived because of a non-genetic advantage.

The fish survived because of an inheritable advantage.
The fish survived because of an inheritable advantage.

The fish experienced an evolutionary change because of genetic drift.
The fish experienced an evolutionary change because of genetic drift.

The fish experienced an evolutionary change because of natural selection.
The fish experienced an evolutionary change because of natural selection.
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Answer 1

The statement that most accurately describes the scenario is:

The fish experienced an evolutionary change because of natural selection.

In this scenario, the lighter-scaled fish are at a slight disadvantage due to predation, while the darker-scaled fish can be more favorable in that environment. Over time, as a result of reproduction and predator interactions, the dark-scaled fish would be more likely to survive and reproduce, leading to evolutionary change. While genetic drift could play a role in small populations, the primary mechanism described here aligns with natural selection based on the observable advantages and disadvantages related to their coloration.