Question

If a trait A exists in 10% of a population of an asexually reproducing species and a trait B exists in 60% of the same population, which trait is likely to have arisen earlier?

Answer 1

Hint: In asexually reproducing species that trait which is likely to have arisen earlier exist in more percentage of the population because as it has come earlier, it is passed on to more generations.

Complete answer:
In asexually reproducing species we know that, there are nearly no changes or very minimal changes in the characters of one generation to another generation. Generally, the progeny of asexually reproducing species are just similar to the parents species in morphology as well as in traits.
According to the given question if trait A is in 10% of the population that means it is in less number of population when compared to trait B which exists in 60% of that same population. If a trait is expressed in a large amount of population( Here, for instance that trait is trait B) , that means it has been in the population for a longer duration and is continuously being expressed in the future progeny.
Trait A is a newly expressed trait in the asexually reproducing species because it is expressed in only 10% of the population.

So, trait B is likely to have arisen earlier. So, the correct answer is trait B.

Note:
In asexually reproducing organisms, the traits are passed onto the next generation with almost no changes. The trait which is passed on to more number of generations will exist and will express in a larger amount of population when compared to a newly expressed trait.
Newly expressed traits will be expressed in less amount of population because it is new and not passed on to more generations.