Question

The beak of a Galapagos finch has become dull and worn by the time it has offspring. Will this individual pass on its dull, worn beak to its offspring? Why or why not?

Answer choices

A) Yes; the beak became dull and worn due to epigenetic modifications

B) No; BOTH physical changes acquired over an individual’s lifetime AND bill morphology and shininess, are not heritable traits

C) No; physical changes acquired over an individual’s lifetime are not heritable

D) Yes; bill morphology and shininess are heritable traits

E) No; bill morphology and shininess are not heritable traits

Answer 1

The beak of Galapagos finches, which became dull and worn(damaged) during its use for food collection and survival, will not inherited to the offsprings. This is because physical changes aquired in lifetime of organism cannot get inherited.

This was proved by the German scientist called August Weismann. He conducted rat tail cutting experiment. He cut the tail of rats and let them have offsprings. But none of the offsprings without tail were born. So, he concluded physical changes cannot inherited.

If that is the case, if physical changes get inherited then children of athletes and boxers must born with good muscles. It doesn't happens.

Hence, the answer is option (C) .