Answer :
Final answer:
The appearance of the flatwing phenotype among male crickets on Kauai is best explained by Option B: "The flatwing phenotype arose due to a mutation that allowed crickets to produce less sound, making them less susceptible to predation by a parasitic fly."
Explanation:
The given statement "The flatwing phenotype arose due to a mutation that allowed crickets to produce less sound, making them less susceptible to predation by a parasitic fly." is true because the presence of a parasitic fly on Kauai led to a selective pressure favoring crickets with a mutation that reduced their calling song volume. This reduced sound production decreases the likelihood of attracting the parasitic fly, thus increasing the survival rate of the crickets with the flatwing phenotype.
The mutation causing the flatwing phenotype likely occurred randomly within the cricket population on Kauai. Over time, as the parasitic fly population exerted pressure on the crickets, individuals with the flatwing mutation had a higher chance of survival and reproduction, leading to an increase in the prevalence of the flatwing phenotype within the population.
This phenomenon is an example of natural selection, where environmental pressures drive changes in the traits of a population over generations. In this case, the selective advantage conferred by the flatwing phenotype in avoiding predation by the parasitic fly resulted in its prevalence among male crickets on Kauai. Option B provides the most accurate explanation for the appearance of the flatwing phenotype.
Complete question:
Considering the establishment of the flatwing phenotype, what factors might influence its survival and spread in the cricket population on Kauai?
