The 14 species of finches native to the Galápagos Islands ____, and therefore illustrate adaptive radiation.
A) diverged following a mass extinction event
B) evolved from a single common ancestor
C) migrated independently from South America
D) represent a convergent evolutionary process
E) evolved from numerous distant ancestors

Question

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The 14 species of finches on the Galápagos Islands evolved from a single common ancestor, showcasing an example of adaptive radiation where one species gives rise to multiple species that exploit different niches.

The 14 Species of Finches Native to the Galápagos Islands