The absence of transitional forms ("missing links") in the fossil record does not align with which of the following concepts proposed by Darwin? punctuated equilibrium mutations acquired characteristics gradualism

The absence of transitional forms in the fossil record does not align with the concept of **gradualism** proposed by Darwin. Gradualism suggests that evolution occurs through small, incremental changes over long periods of time, leading to the gradual transformation of species. The lack of transitional forms would challenge this idea, as it implies that there are significant gaps in the fossil record where one form transitions to another. In contrast, **punctuated equilibrium** (a concept developed later by Stephen Jay Gould and Niles Eldredge) suggests that species remain relatively stable for long periods and then undergo rapid changes in relatively short bursts, which could explain the absence of transitional forms. **Mutations** and **acquired characteristics** are not directly related to the fossil record's transitional forms in the same way.