Question

When an organ is used, it will develop and if it is not used, it weakens to become vestigial. Who said this?

• A. Darwin
• B. Hugo de Vries
• C. Lamarck
• D. Mendel

Answer 1

The correct option is C Lamarck

Lamarck is best known for his 'Theory of Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics', first presented in 1801.

If an organism changes during life in order to adapt to its environment, those changes are passed on to its offspring.

The classic example used to explain the concept of use and disuse is the elongated neck of the giraffe. According to Lamarck's theory, a given giraffe could, over a lifetime of straining to reach high branches, develop an elongated neck. A major downfall of his theory was that he could not explain how this might happen, though he discussed a "natural tendency toward perfection." Another example Lamarck used was the toes of water birds. He proposed that from years of straining their toes to swim through water, these birds gained elongated, webbed toes to better their swimming.