According to the concept of punctuated equilibrium, the "sudden" appearance of a new species in the fossil record means that
A) the species is now extinct.
B) speciation occurred instantaneously.
C) speciation occurred in one generation.
D) speciation occurred rapidly in geologic time.
E) the species will consequently have a relatively short existence, compared with other species.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Punctuated equilibrium suggests that species undergo rapid bursts of speciation followed by long periods of little evolutionary change. This means new species are "suddenly" appearing in the fossil record, but this does not imply that the speciation occurred instantaneously or in one generation. Rather, it occurred rapidly in the context of geological time.

According to the Concept of Punctuated Equilibrium, the "Sudden" Appearance