When it came to explaining the origins of variation within species, Darwin
A) used Mendel's theory of heredity
B) agreed with Lamarck that it was caused by an animal's inner needs
C) argued it was caused by differential use of an animal's body parts
D) had no idea of the true causes
E) used his research gathered while at Cambridge

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Darwin was not aware of Mendel's work on genetics during his lifetime, and his theory of natural selection did not include a mechanism for how traits were inherited and varied within populations. Mendel's work, which would have provided this mechanism, was largely unrecognized until after Darwin's death.

When It Came to Explaining the Origins of Variation Within