Question

Monochrome swallowtail butterflies come in a range of colors from white to gray to black. These butterflies feed exclusively on either whitestar or blackstar flowers, which are always either white or black. Monochrome swallowtails tend to feed from whichever type of flower most closely matches their wing color, since light-colored swallowtails blend in better on white flowers and dark-colored swallowtails blend in better on black flowers. Swallowtails with medium-gray wings can't blend in as well on either type of flower, so individuals that are closer in wing-color to either black or white have the best chances of survival and produce the most offspring. Which type of selection pressure is this population experiencing?

Answer 1

The population of monochrome swallowtail butterflies is experiencing stabilizing selection pressure, where individuals with extreme wing colors have higher fitness.

Step-by-step explanation:

The population of monochrome swallowtail butterflies is experiencing stabilizing selection pressure. Stabilizing selection occurs when individuals with intermediate traits have lower fitness compared to individuals with extreme traits. In this case, monochrome swallowtails with wing colors closer to either black or white have better chances of survival and produce more offspring, while those with medium-gray wings have lower fitness. This selection pressure maintains the extreme wing colors in the butterfly population.