Question

apply: natural selection and adaptation
which of the following describes an adaptation?
choose 1 answer:
a hip bones in a snake that, over evolutionary time, have lost their connections to the spine and provide no clear function
b bright coloration in a frog, which signals to predators that the frog is poisonous
c the learned ability of a orangutan to use a stick to gather honey from a log

Explanation:

• Option A: Hip bones in a snake with no clear function are vestigial structures, not adaptations (adaptations have a functional role for survival/reproduction).
• Option B: Bright coloration in a frog signaling poison to predators is a warning coloration, an adaptation that helps the frog avoid predation, increasing its survival and reproductive chances.
• Option C: A learned ability (using a stick) is a behavioral trait acquired individually, not an adaptation (adaptations are heritable, evolved traits).

Answer:

B. bright coloration in a frog, which signals to predators that the frog is poisonous