An exaptation is
A) an inherited functional trait that was not selected for the function it currently performs.
B) a stimulus whose salience is so weak that it cannot be conditioned or potentiated.
C) an inherited trait that gradually disappears because it is not adaptive in the long or short term.
D) a learned association that is so adaptive that it is passed on to each generation during parenting.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

An exaptation refers to a trait that evolved for one purpose but later came to serve another. This concept highlights the flexibility and unpredictability of evolutionary processes, where features can gain new functions not originally selected for.

An Exaptation Is