Which type of selectionism focuses on the evolution of species?

The correct answer focuses on phylogeny, which is the study of the evolutionary development and diversification of a species over time. This concept examines how species evolve through natural selection, adapting their traits and behaviors in response to environmental pressures. It encompasses the broader biological processes that shape the characteristics of species as they adapt to their ecosystems across generations.

In contrast to phylogeny, cultural selection pertains to the evolution of behaviors, beliefs, and practices within a society, shaped by social and cultural influences rather than strictly genetic factors. Ontogeny refers to the development of an individual organism from conception to maturity, concentrating on the growth stages and changes that occur within a single organism's life rather than across generations of a species. Operant learning, on the other hand, involves the associations made between behaviors and their consequences, focusing on how individual organisms learn from their environment. Each of these areas has its own significance, but phylogeny is the specific type of selectionism that directly deals with the evolution of species.