Within the theory of evolution, the concept of adaptive radiation (evolutionary development of several species from a single parental stock) has had as its prime example, a group of birds known as Darwin's finches. Charles Darwin discovered and collected specimens of these birds from the Galápagos Islands in 1835 on his five-year voyage around the world aboard the HMS Beagle. His cumulative experiences, copious notes, and vast collections ultimately led to the publication of his monumental work, On the Origin of Species, in 1859. The Galápagos Islands and their unique assemblage of plants and animals were an instrumental part of the development of Darwin's evolutionary theory.

The Galápagos Islands are located at 90° W longitude and 0° latitude (the equator), about 600 mi (965 km) west Ecuador. These islands are volcanic in origin and are about 10 million years old. The original colonization of...