Final answer:
A species is defined as a group of individuals that can interbreed and produce viable, fertile offspring that can reproduce in adulthood. This concept applies to sexually reproducing organisms and is a fundamental aspect of biological classification.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer to the question of what is a species? would be: c) a group of individual organisms that interbreed and produce offspring that survive and can reproduce in adulthood. A species is commonly defined in biology as a group of actually or potentially interbreeding individual organisms that produce viable and fertile offspring. This concept primarily applies to sexually reproducing organisms and is a fundamental component of biological classification and biodiversity. Species are distinct from one another when their members cannot produce fertile offspring with members of another species. This criterion is essential for maintaining separate species lines and is a key to understanding the dynamics of evolution and the diversification of life.