Proponents of the neutral theory
A) believe that most changes in DNA sequences produce clocklike change because they are controlled by drift and mutation.
B) think the molecular clock is a result of natural selection.
C) are not sure if we can accurately calculate how long ago two lineages diverged.
D) use only derived traits in their analysis.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Proponents of the neutral theory believe that most changes in DNA sequences are controlled by drift and mutation, which produce clocklike changes without being influenced by natural selection. Therefore, A is the best choice. B is incorrect because proponents of the neutral theory do not believe that the molecular clock is a result of natural selection. C is partially correct because there is always some uncertainty in calculating divergence times. However, this statement alone does not accurately describe the beliefs of proponents of the neutral theory. D is incorrect because proponents of the neutral theory use both derived and ancestral traits in their analysis.

Proponents of the Neutral Theory