Punctuated equilibria describes which phenomenon?
A - Sudden appearance of species followed by long periods of little change
B - Long periods of constant change
C - Sudden appearances of species followed by short periods of rapid change
D - Sudden disappearance of species after much change has occurred
E - Changes that only occur at regular time intervals
Answer: D - Sudden disappearance of species after much change has occurred
PUNCTUATED EQUILIBRIA is the hypothesis that evolutionary development is marked by isolated episodes of rapid speciation between long periods of little or no change. This normally happens in remote location or from a small, isolated population.