Consider the following scenario:

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 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.
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.

1 answer

The statement that 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 disadvantage due to predation, which suggests that natural selection favors the dark-scaled fish. As a result, this leads to the emergence of a new species of dark-scaled fish, showcasing evolutionary change driven by natural selection.