Answer B is the best because Spot has won the reproduction contest. The organism able to pass on genes to more offspring than the other guy is the most "fit" in biological terms. Answers A and C are commonly chosen by students who hold the erroneous idea of the biggest, strongest, and fastest being the most fit. Although Answer D is attractive because of lots of "gene mixing" with other fish, the bottom line is the number of successful offspring. Students are often left hanging once we help them to see that "fittest" is not equal to "biggest" and "strongest". Why do some organisms leave more offspring? Possible answers include being able to use energy more efficiently, being able to withstand extreme conditions, or being better camouflaged than other members of the population.
See also main cartoons page and Biology Lessons home page.