Question R8 Q12 - NSB Round Robin 2012

Hundreds of fossils of an extinct quail species are found on a small Pacific island. The fossil femur is longer than that of modern quails from the mainland, and the fossil ulna is shorter. Why might these differences exist between the extinct quail and modern specimens?

W) The extinct quail was adapted to jumping higher because of a higher concentration of predators on islands

X) The extinct quail was likely evolving flightlessness

Y) The extinct quail fossils were from juveniles

Z) The extinct quail was a hybrid between the mainland species and another, so far undiscovered, island species

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