Which type of selection is likely to lead to two distinct species from a single ancestral species?

Disruptive selection is a process that can lead to the formation of two distinct species from a single ancestral species. This type of selection occurs when individuals at both extremes of a phenotypic range are favored over intermediate phenotypes. As a result, disruptive selection promotes variance in traits, leading to populations that adapt to different niches or environments. Over time, these adaptations can contribute to reproductive isolation, a critical factor in the speciation process.

When disruptive selection acts on a population, it encourages the divergence of traits, which might enable groups to exploit different resources or adapt to varying conditions in their environments. As these groups continue to evolve independently under differing selective pressures, they may eventually become distinct enough to be classified as separate species.

In contrast, directional selection tends to push a population toward one extreme phenotype, stabilizing selection favors the average trait, and artificial selection involves human intervention in breeding, which does not inherently lead to speciation in the same way as disruptive selection.