In the western United States, pronghorn antelopes and domestic cattle often associate with one another in the same open rangeland. In a hypothetical situation, a certain species of flea originally fed only on pronghorn antelopes. Some of these fleas developed a strong preference for cattle blood and mated only with other fleas that also preferred cattle blood. The host mammal can be considered as the fleas' habitat. Which of the following processes most likely occurred if the situation persisted and a new species evolved?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Sympatric speciation occurs when a new species evolves from a single ancestral species while inhabiting the same geographic region. In this scenario, the preference for different hosts (pronghorn antelopes vs. cattle) acts as a form of habitat isolation, even though the habitats overlap geographically. This leads to reproductive isolation and eventually speciation without physical separation, fitting the definition of sympatric speciation and habitat isolation.

In the Western United States, Pronghorn Antelopes and Domestic Cattle