Question

2. On the islands of Hawaii, approximately 800 species of fruit flies have evolved from just one ancestral species over roughly 8 million years. The heads, forelegs, wings, and mouthparts of different species all look and function very differently.

How could so many species have evolved from one ancestral fruit fly species?

Due to the ____ from the first small population, the population's____ could have differed from the mainland fruit flies. The process of ____ resulted in adaptations and ____ of the island population into new fruit fly ____ over time. Some of the fruit flies traveled to other islands where they were ____ and evolved into more species.

Answer 1

Due to the isolation from the first small population, the population's gene pool could have differed from the mainland fruit flies. The process of natural selection resulted in adaptations and speciation of the island population into new fruit fly species over time. Some of the fruit flies traveled to other islands where they were isolated and evolved into more species.