A researcher is attempting to determine whether butterfly populations on the eastern slope of the Colorado Rocky Mountains are distinct species. Together with her graduate students, she spent a summer capturing butterflies at various sites and meticulously recording traits such as color, wingspan, antenna length, proboscis length, and others. Which species concept could be applied to this data?
Social Studies · High School · Mon Jan 18 2021
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Answered on
- The researcher's effort to determine whether the butterfly populations are distinct species by recording various physical traits aligns with the Morphological Species Concept.
- This concept defines a species by its morphological (structural) features and can differentiate species based on observable traits like color, wingspan, antenna length, and proboscis length.
- This concept is particularly useful when working with organisms for which there is no clear information about their reproductive isolation (Biological Species Concept), when there is no genetic data available (Phylogenetic Species Concept), or when studying fossils since it relies solely on physical characteristics that can be observed and measured.