Question

Genetic data suggests many frog species that live in Madagascar and India share a common ancestor that lived on the India-Madagascar landmass. Which statement best describes the divergence of frog species found in India and Madagascar?
a) breeding preferences of the frogs prevented interbreeding between frogs, resulting in new speciesb) geographic separation led to divergence in the gene pool, resulting in new speciesc) the frog species occupied different habitats within the same geographic areas, resulting in new speciesd) different mating seasons led to the divergence of the gene pool, resulting in new species

Answer 1

Genetic data suggests many frog species that live in Madagascar and India share a common ancestor that lived on the India-Madagascar landmass is best described by

(b)Geographic separation led to divergence in the gene pool, resulting in a new species

Explanation:

• The island's geography, geology, and climate have provided opportunities for species to evolve and diversify in isolation. Its species are a mix of those that have been living and evolving there for many tens of millions of years and those that arrived more recently and subsequently diversified.
• Some of Madagascar's present species are there because they "rode there" on the continents and were left on the island when it separated from India.