Over Evolutionary Time, Many Cave-Dwelling Organisms Have Lost Their Eyes

question 52

Multiple Choice

Over evolutionary time, many cave-dwelling organisms have lost their eyes. Tapeworms have lost their digestive systems. Whales have lost their hind limbs. How can natural selection account for these losses?

• A) Natural selection cannot account for losses, only for innovations.
• B) Natural selection accounts for these losses by the principle of use and disuse.
• C) Under particular circumstances that persisted for long periods, each of these structures presented greater costs than benefits.
• D) The ancestors of these organisms experienced harmful mutations that forced them to find new habitats that these species had not previously used.

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Definitions:

Heteronormativity

The belief or assumption that heterosexual relationships are the norm or default sexual orientation, which can marginalize and exclude non-heterosexual behaviors and identities.

Gender Neutral

Not specific to any gender; inclusive of all genders or not categorized by gender at all.

Heterosexuality

A sexual orientation characterized by an emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to individuals of the opposite sex.

Cognitive Social Learning Theory

A theory that emphasizes the role of cognitive processes in the acquisition of social behaviors through observation and imitation.