Question

In the regions where scarlet kingsnakes do not overlap with coral snakes, which of the following processes best explains why alleles that lead to a coloration pattern similar to coral snakes are more common in regions nearest the range of overlap with coral snakes?

a. Disruptive selection
b. Stabilizing selection
c. Genetic drift
d. Directional selection

Answer 1

Directional selection explains why alleles that lead to a coloration pattern similar to coral snakes are more common in regions nearest the range of overlap with coral snakes.

Step-by-step explanation:

In regions where scarlet kingsnakes do not overlap with coral snakes, the alleles that lead to a coloration pattern similar to coral snakes are more common in regions nearest the range of overlap with coral snakes because of directional selection.

Directional selection occurs when one extreme phenotype is favored over others, causing a shift in the allele frequencies towards that phenotype. In this case, the coloration pattern similar to coral snakes is advantageous as it provides protection from predators, and therefore, individuals with that pattern are more likely to survive and reproduce.

This process of directional selection leads to an increase in the frequency of alleles associated with the coral snake coloration pattern in the regions nearest the overlap with coral snakes.