Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, one of the foundational concepts of modern biology, is often summed up by the phrase, "survival of the fittest." Many people interpret this phrase to mean that evolution always favors the organism that is best suited to survive in its environment, but this narrow interpretation is actually insufficient to explain many phenomena observed in nature.
Which of the following, if documented in a scientifically valid way, is most likely to be an example of the phenomena mentioned above?
A. Studies have shown that a type of male flycatcher (a bird) with an extra-long tail is more desirable to females as a mate than flycatchers with shorter tails, even though the longer tail hinders the bird's flying ability and makes it more vulnerable to predation.
B. It has been documented among whales, birds, and terrestrial mammals that colder temperatures encourage the development of larger animals, because larger animals have a lower surface-to-volume ratio and are therefore better able to conserve heat.
C. Farm animals bred by humans are generally larger, slower, and less intelligent than their wild ancestors.
D. A type of moth near London was observed to change from a population consisting mostly of light-colored moths to a population of mostly dark-colored moths over a period of 50 years as a response to darkening of rocks and trees in the area due to soot and smoke from London factories.
E. Male lions fight for control of prides, and thereby the capacity to reproduce, even though these fights can end in the death or maiming of the loser.