Answer :

Final answer:

Charles Darwin studied the unique tortoises and finches on the Galápagos Islands, which play a crucial role in the development of his theory of natural selection. The variation in characteristics such as tortoise shell shape and finch beak size across the different islands led to his insights into the process of speciation and adaptation.

Explanation:

The islands where Charles Darwin studied tortoises and finches are known as the Galápagos Islands. These islands are located 600 miles off the west coast of South America and are renowned for the unique wildlife they harbor. Darwin observed that individual Galápagos islands differed significantly from one another in their environment, with some being rocky and dry, while others had more rainfall and better soil. This resulted in different species on each island adapting in ways that made them distinct from their counterparts on other islands. For example, he found that giant tortoises on one island had saddle-shaped shells, while those on another island had dome-shaped shells. This diversity among species on neighboring islands provided Darwin with key insights into the origin of species and contributed to his theory of natural selection. The local residents could identify the origins of the tortoises based on their shell shapes.

Darwin's studies not only involved tortoises but also finches, of which he found what appeared to be 13 different species that were unique to the Galápagos Islands. It was the finches, particularly the mockingbirds, that eventually led to his seminal ideas about natural selection. Notably, the finches of the Galápagos displayed a range of beak shapes and sizes, which appeared to be adaptations to different ecological niches. This observation supported his hypothesis that species could change over time and give rise to new species, depending on their environment.

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