Forsythia mermaids have a range of tails from 2-4 meters in length as a result of genetic variation. Most mermaid tails are around 3 meters. On the reef they live on, a new predator of the mermaid arrived and its quick speed meant only mermaids who could maneuver quickly, those with longer tails, were able to survive. Over the next few generations, what do you predict happened to the tail length of the Forsythia mermaids?

Question 3 options:

The tail length stayed the same because maneuverability was not the only variable playing a role in their survival.

The tail length increased because those with the longer tails survived and were able to reproduce and pass on their long tailed gene to the next generation.

The tail length decreased because shorter tailed mermaids could swim faster and avoid predators.

The mermaids went extinct as a result of the predator.