The diagram shows three beetle species that are thought to nave evolved from a recent common ancestor Part 1 of the diagram snows three hypothesized phylogenetic trees for the three beetles. Part 2 compares a section of the ancestral species' DNA to the corresponding sequences of the beetle species. Parts 3 and 4 shows the genetic mutations that must have occurred in each of the three phylogenetic trees. The resulting phylogenetic trees are shown below.
10
Technique
Π
Species 1
Species 11
Three phylogenetic hypotheses:
AC
0
40
Species i
Spectes II
Species III
Ancestral sequence
Use the diagram to answer the question
Site
TTC
AG A C
Species III
Flesuite
1
A OTT
- Box^ - + Box^ - =in\\ H - n matrix
The three beetle species live in the same ecosystem, and they likely evolved from the ancestral species that colonized the region. Which statement best explains how descent with modification influenced speciation in these beetles?
(1 point)
The ancestral species carried neutral gene mutations that spontaneously caused speciation when they colonized the region
The ancestral species randomly diverged into three species before colonization and then colonized the regions that best suited their new adaptations
After colonization, small groups separated from the rest of the ancestral species and developed different adaptations that helped them survive and reproduce.
After colonization, the large group interbred until they developed enough neutral genetic mutations for speciation to occur.