Lamarck's Theory of Evolution — NEET Biology
📚 Practice ConceptEven before Darwin, a French naturalist Lamarck had said that evolution of life forms had occurred but driven by use and disuse of
Which of the following statements about Lamarck's theory of evolution are NOT correct? S1: Lamarck proposed that the evolution of life forms was driven by the use and disuse of organs. S2: According to Lamarck, characteristics acquired during an organism's lifetime, such as an elongated neck in giraffes, are passed on to their offspring. S3: Lamarck's theory is widely accepted today as the primary mechanism for evolutionary change. S4: The concept of inheritance of acquired characters provides the genetic basis for natural selection. S5: Lamarck explained the long neck of giraffes as a gradual adaptation resulting from continuous stretching to forage tall trees over generations.
View solution & NCERT explanation
Correct answer: B — S3 and S4
Let's evaluate each statement regarding Lamarck's theory of evolution: S1: This statement is correct. Lamarck's theory of evolution was indeed based on the idea of use and disuse of organs. S2: This statement is correct. Lamarck proposed that traits developed during an organism's lifetime (acquired characters) were passed on to the next generation, citing the giraffe's long neck as an example. S3: This statement is NOT correct. NCERT clearly states that 'Nobody believes this conjecture any more,' referring to Lamarck's theory, indicating it is not widely accepted today. S4: This statement is NOT correct. The concept of inheritance of acquired characters is distinct from the genetic basis of natural selection. Natural selection relies on heritable variations with a genetic basis, not traits acquired during a lifetime. Lamarck's theory contrasts with modern understanding of genetics and evolution. S5: This statement is correct. Lamarck explained the long neck of giraffes as an acquired character over generations due to their effort to reach leaves on tall trees. Therefore, statements S3 and S4 are not correct. The correct option is B because it correctly identifies S3 and S4 as incorrect statements. Options A, C, and D incorrectly include or exclude correct statements.
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