In the southeastern United States, there is a small type of lizard called a fence lizard. They have short legs and live under leaves and dead logs. Over the last 70 years, fire ants have moved into the lizard's environment. When fire ants sting the lizards on their body, the lizards can die
Scientists have observed that in places with fire ants and lizards living together for a long time, the lizards have longer legs. In places where fire
ants have only been there a short time, the lizards' legs are shorter overall
Fire ants move into a new environment with the lizards. What will most likely happen to the lizard population over the next several years?
A. Some of the lizards would try to develop new traits to avoid the ants, and they would pass on those traits to their
offspring. The other lizards would die
B. All of the lizards would try to develop new traits to avoid the ants. They would all survive and pass on those traits to
their offspring
OC. Due to random mutations, some lizard offspring are born with different traits that help them avoid the fire ants. These
offspring will most likely survive and reproduce, while the lizards born without those traits will die.
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