Neo-Darwinism-

The modern evolutionary synthesis The Origin of Species convinced most biologists that species are products of evolution. Advancement in Darwinism An important turning point for evolutionary theory was the birth of population genetics.

Population genetics.

It emphasizes the extensive genetic variation within populations and recognizes the importance of quantitative characters. With progress in population genetics in the 1930s,

 Mendelism and Darwinism were reconciled, and

 the genetic basis of variation and natural selection was worked out. Modern synthesis or Neo-Darwinism. Thus, a comprehensive theory of evolution that became known as the modern synthesis or Neo-Darwinism was developed in the early 1940s. It is called a synthesis because it integrated discoveries and ideas from many different fields, including paleontology, taxonomy, biogeography, and of course, population genetics. Evidences of Evolution Evolution leaves observable signs.

Darwin‟s theory of evolution was mainly based on the evidence

 From the geographical distribution of species and

 From the fossil record.

However, there have been many evidences as biology progressed. New discoveries continue to validate the evolutionary view of life. Let us discuss now some of the evidences. Biogeography: It was the geographical distribution of species (biogeography) that first suggested the idea of evolution of Darwin. Islands have many species of plants and animals that are endemic but closely related to species of the nearest mainland or neighboring island. Consider armadillos, the armored mammals that live only in America. The evolutionary view of biogeography predicts that contemporary armadillos