Question

Industrial melanism as observed in peppered moths proves that:

• A. The melanic form of the moth has no selective advantage over the lighter form in industrial areas.
• B. The lighter form moth has no selective advantage either in a polluted industrial area or a non-polluted area.
• C. Melanism is a pollution-generated feature.
• D. The true black melanic forms arise by a recurring random mutation.

Answer 1

The correct option is D The true black melanic forms arise by a recurring random mutation.

Industrial melanism is a term used to describe the evolutionary process in which darker individuals come to predominate over lighter individuals since the industrial revolution as a result of natural selection. In 1848, a black form of the moth was recorded in Manchester, and by 1895, 98% of the peppered moth population in Manchester was black. This black “melanic” form arose by a recurring random mutation, but its phenotypic appearance had a strong selective advantage in industrial areas.