Evolution - Speeds

A species of butterflies remains unchanged for millions of years, showing no significant evolutionary changes in the fossil record. What pattern of evolution is this?

• Punctuated Equilibrium

• Gradualism

• Stasis

Fossil evidence shows that a species of mollusks remained the same for millions of years, followed by a sudden change in shell shape over a relatively short time. What evolutionary pattern does this represent?

• Punctuated Equilibrium

• Gradualism

• Stasis

Over the course of millions of years, a species of reptiles gradually developed longer legs, with no sudden jumps in the fossil record. What type of evolutionary change is this?

• Punctuated Equilibrium

• Gradualism

• Stasis

Horses evolved from small, multi-toed ancestors to large, single-toed animals over millions of years with a slow and steady accumulation of changes. What pattern of evolution is this?

• Punctuated Equilibrium

• Gradualism

• Stasis

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

A species of fish found in a deep-sea trench has remained morphologically the same for over 50 million years. What type of evolutionary pattern is this?

• Punctuated Equilibrium

• Gradualism

• Stasis

A small population of birds on an isolated island experiences rapid evolutionary changes due to environmental shifts, followed by long periods of stability. What pattern does this describe?

• Punctuated Equilibrium

• Gradualism

• Stasis

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-5

The fossil record of trilobites shows that they remained unchanged for millions of years before disappearing. What pattern of evolution is this?

• Punctuated Equilibrium

• Gradualism

• Stasis

Fossils of certain marine invertebrates suggest that changes in shell size and shape occurred very gradually over millions of years. What does this represent?

• Punctuated Equilibrium

• Gradualism

• Stasis

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS4-1

A population of frogs remains unchanged for thousands of years but, after a major climate shift, evolves rapidly into multiple new species. What is this an example of?

• Punctuated Equilibrium

• Gradualism

• Stasis

Tags

NGSS.HS-LS4-5

Fossil evidence indicates that a species of insects has existed for 100 million years without significant structural changes. What does this suggest?

• Punctuated Equilibrium

• Gradualism

• Stasis