Industrial melanism is a term used to describe the evolutionary process in which darker individuals came to predominate over lighter individuals because of the Industrial Revolution. This occurred as a result of natural selection in which a black 'melanic' form arose by a recurring random mutation, but its phenotypic appearance had a strong selective advantage in industrial areas. Related Theory During the period when the number of coal burning factories in England was increasing (during the so-called Industrial Revolution) it was noticed that the number of melanic individuals of the species of Peppered Moth (Biston betularia) was becoming more common. Originally rare in the population of normally light-coloured moths, the frequency of the melanic form increased in polluted areas until it was over 90%. This change in colour has come to be known as "industrial melanism."
Industrial melanism as observed in peppered moth proves that:
NEET UG 2007 — Zoology Evolution
Industrial melanism as observed in peppered moth proves that:
Held on 30 Apr 2007 · Verified 9 Jul 2026.
Options
- A
the melanic form of the moth as no selective advantage over lighter form in industrial area.
- B
the lighter-form moth has no selective advantage either in polluted industrial area or non-polluted area
- C
melanism is a pollution-generated feature
- D
the true black melanic forms arise by a recurring random
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