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?
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Responses
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.
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.
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The most accurate statement that describes the scenario is:
The fish experienced an evolutionary change because of natural selection.
This is because the lighter-scaled fish have a disadvantage in terms of predation, while the dark-scaled fish have a survival advantage in the murky environment, leading to differential survival and reproduction. As a result, the separation allowed for the emergence of a new species of dark-scaled fish.
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