Which would be the answer?

Question

Selection that favors individual fish that have a mixture of red and blue scales in a population which also has some blue and red scaled individuals is best described as



a. diversifying selection.

b. frequency-dependent selection.

c. directional selection.

d. stabilizing selection.

Answer 1

D. Stabilizing Selection is the answer

In this case, both the blue and red-scaled fish represent the extremes of the population. If the extremes were evolutionarily desirable we find that diversifying selection occurs. If the red fish were desired over the blue fish, then that would be directional selection. However, since the fish that have traits of both extremes are favored, we can determine that there is selection towards the middle and selection against the extremes. It is possible that the mix of red and blue scales made the individual fish more apt to avoid predators.