Based on the Fossil Record, It Was Estimated That Coelacanths

question 6

Multiple Choice

Based on the fossil record, it was estimated that coelacanths had become extinct in the late Cretaceous, approximately 66 million years ago. However, a live coelacanth was discovered off the coast of South Africa in 1938. This is an example of

• A) forward smearing.
• B) the Signor-Lipps effect.
• C) radiocarbon dating.
• D) the law of superposition.

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Definitions:

Genetic Polymorphism

The occurrence of two or more distinct forms in the same population of a species, due to differences in genetic makeup.

Alleles

Different versions of a gene, located at the same position on homologous chromosomes, contributing to genetic variation.

Locus

A specific location on a chromosome where a particular gene or genetic marker is situated.

Stabilizing Selection

A type of natural selection that favors intermediate variations of a trait, leading to a decrease in variation in the population over time.