Question

Give the name of the theory proposed by Ernst Haeckel.
A. Theory of germplasm
B. Theory of mutation
C. Theory of recapitulation
D. Theory of natural selection

Answer 1

Hint: Haeckel proposed a theory based on various shreds of evidence from embryology and the theory of evolution. The biogenetic law is one of his theories. The theory describes the organism passes through during its embryonic stage in which the embryo repeats the evolutionary phases.

Complete answer: In 1866, Ernst Haeckel in Germany proposed the biogenetic law or the theory of recapitulation. This theory states that during the development of an embryo into an adult, animals go through various stages of evolution that resemble their remote ancestors; this suggests their evolutionary roots. He studied different developmental stages of the embryo and deduced relationships by the taxa. Various theories from embryology supported this theory of recapitulation that all the species on earth has a common ancestor. Haeckel proposed the biogenetic law after reading Darwin’s theory of the origin of species. He stated that an organism’s diversity can be varied with phylogeny. Different developmental stages can be studied to check the diversity of a population or species.
Hence, the correct option is C-Theory of recapitulation.

Note: Haeckel proposed the recapitulation theory to use different embryological stages in the preparation of a phylogenetic or evolutionary tree. He also stated that phylogeny affects the diversification of organisms into one another and also affects the development of an embryo. Different stages of evolution can be used to study the phylogeny of an organism that also results in some embryonic changes that can change or alter the organism.