The collected data about peanut shells demonstrates the extent of

• A. natural selection within a species
• B. variation within a species
• C. evolution within a species
• D. speciation from a species

Answer: (B)

Variation within a species is being tested. The peanut shell data show differences among individual plants or seeds within the same species, such as variations in size, shape, or color. This kind of information captures how much diversity exists in a population, arising from genetic differences and environmental influences. It does not by itself show that the population has changed over time (evolution), that certain shell types led to differential survival (natural selection), or that a new species has formed (speciation). To demonstrate natural selection, you’d look for differences in survival or reproduction linked to shell traits; to show evolution, you’d need changes in allele frequencies across generations; to show speciation, you’d need evidence of reproductive isolation and a split into distinct species.