The correct answer is C. J.B. Lamarck.
Lamarck was a French naturalist who lived from 1744 to 1829. He is best known for his theory of evolution, which was based on the idea that organisms can pass on acquired characteristics to their offspring. For example, he believed that giraffes developed long necks because they stretched their necks to reach leaves on tall trees.
Lamarck’s theory was not supported by scientific evidence, and it was eventually disproved. However, his work was an important step in the development of the theory of evolution.
Charles Darwin was an English naturalist who lived from 1809 to 1882. He is best known for his theory of evolution, which was based on the idea of natural selection. Natural selection is the process by which organisms that are better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce.
Gregor Mendel was an Austrian monk who lived from 1822 to 1884. He is best known for his work on genetics, which is the study of how traits are passed down from parents to offspring. Mendel’s work laid the foundation for the modern understanding of genetics.
August Weismann was a German biologist who lived from 1834 to 1914. He is best known for his work on the germ plasm theory, which states that only the germ cells (egg and sperm cells) are passed down from parents to offspring. The germ plasm theory disproved Lamarck’s theory of inheritance of acquired characters.