Question

The phenomenon ontogeny repeats phylogeny is explained by
a. Recapitulation theory
b. Inheritance theory
c. Mutation theory
d. Natural selection theory

Answer 1

The theory of recapitulation is also called biogenetic law, and it is also called embryonic parallelism where it was expressed by a scientist Ernst Haeckel by a phrase called, “Ontogeny is replaced by the phylogeny”.

Complete answer:
- This theory states that, the embryogenesis of the animal from the fertilization to the ontogeny which moves through the various stages which resemble the successive similar adult stages of the phylogeny.
- As the name suggests the recapitulation theory is phrased ontogeny replaced by the phylogeny.
- The various stages of the embryo during the developmental process are sequential to replay the stages of the ancestors.
- The example for the recapitulation theory is, the pharyngeal grooves present between the pharyngeal arches of the neck of the embryo, resemble the gill slits of the fish, and it also represents the adult stage of the fish and signifying the fish as an ancestor.
- Another example of the recapitulation theory is the tadpole larva of the amphibians, where amphibians larval stage do not have legs and have the tail, which is used to swim, and this larval stage also has gills, which is absent in the adult stage of the amphibians, so the embryo stage of a larva of amphibian resembles the adult stage of the fish, which represent the recapitulation theory.

Hence, the correct answer is option (A).

Note: This recapitulation theory has applications in the field of cognitive development, and music criticism, though this recapitulation theory was proposed on the basis of Darwin’s evolution, it also faced some rejections.