Which of These Individuals Is Likely to Be Most Successful

question 12

Multiple Choice

Which of these individuals is likely to be most successful in an evolutionary sense?

• A) a reproductively sterile individual who never falls ill
• B) an organism that dies after five days of life but leaves 10 offspring, all of whom survive to reproduce
• C) a male who mates with 20 females and fathers one offspring
• D) an organism that lives 100 years and leaves two offspring, both of whom survive to reproduce
• E) a female who mates with 20 males and produces one offspring that lives to reproduce

---

Definitions:

Circulatory System

The system in organisms (particularly in vertebrates) consisting of the heart, blood vessels, and blood, responsible for transporting nutrients, gases, and wastes throughout the body.

Primitive Groove

A depression or furrow on the surface of the early embryo, involved in the process of gastrulation.

Neural Groove

A shallow groove in the developing embryo that eventually deepens to form the neural tube, the precursor to the central nervous system.

Blastopore

The opening that develops in the early stage of embryonic development, which can lead to the formation of either the mouth or the anus in the developing organism.