Question

The finches that populate the Galapagos islands are genetically much more closely related to a species of ground finch found on the mainland in South America than they are to a species of finch found on the mainland in North America. This observation suggests that

• A. The finches on the Galapagos islands have descended directly from the finches in South America.
• B. The climatic environment on the Galapagos islands is more similar to the climatic environment in South America than North America.
• C. The Galapagos islands were once physically connected to the continent of South America.
• D. The finches on the Galapagos islands and the finches on the mainland of South America are experiencing convergent evolution.

Answer 1

The correct option is A The finches on the Galapagos islands have descended directly from the finches in South America.

Galapagos islands came in to existence as a result of volcanic eruptions, when they became inhabitable finches from Central and South America migrated to these islands followed by a process of allopatric speciation (Galapogos and S. America) and adaptive radiation (Galapagos)

So, the correct answer is 'The finches on the Galapagos islands have descended directly from the finches in South America'