Suppose the Pinocchio frog, which was discovered in the remote Foja Mountains in New Guinea, is determined to be a new species based on the biological species concept. Why might the criteria of this concept not be applicable to these frogs?
A)DNA analyses must be conducted before a species can be defined by the biological species concept.
B)The small Pinocchio frog population introduces too much sampling error to assess reproductive behaviors.
C)Geographical barriers may prevent Pinocchio frogs from interbreeding with other frog populations.
D)Experiments must be conducted to determine whether Pinocchio frogs can breed with other frog species in captivity.
E)The biological species concept is subjective and inherently biased.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

DThe biological species concept defines species based on the ability to interbreed and produce fertile offspring. Geographical barriers (C) can prevent species from coming into contact with each other, making it difficult to assess their reproductive compatibility. Similarly, conducting experiments to determine if Pinocchio frogs can breed with other species in captivity (D) addresses the concept's focus on reproductive isolation and compatibility, which are central to defining species boundaries under this concept.

Suppose the Pinocchio Frog, Which Was Discovered in the Remote