Which statement about Darwin's finches is true?
A) Several, but not all, of the finches eat mostly seeds.
B) There are more species of these finches than there are of the Hawaiian Drosophila.
C) They arose from at least three different species from the South American mainland.
D) They show little differentiation in their beak shape and differ mainly in their size.
E) None of the finches eat insects.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Darwin's finches are a classic example of adaptive radiation, where different species have evolved to exploit different food sources on the Galápagos Islands. Several of these finch species do indeed primarily eat seeds, but others have adapted to different diets, including insects. This dietary diversity is closely linked to the variation in beak shapes and sizes among the different species, which contradicts option D. The finches are believed to have descended from a single ancestral species that arrived from the mainland, which contradicts option C. There are not more species of these finches than the Hawaiian Drosophila, which is known for its extensive speciation, thus option B is incorrect. Lastly, the statement that none of the finches eat insects is false, as some species do consume insects, making option E incorrect.

Which Statement About Darwin's Finches Is True