The theory of use and disuse was used to explain evolution by

Lamarck
Darwin
De Vries
Wallace

The correct answer is A. Lamarck.

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck was a French naturalist who proposed the theory of use and disuse to explain evolution. He believed that organisms could pass on acquired characteristics to their offspring. For example, he thought that giraffes developed long necks because they stretched their necks to reach leaves on tall trees.

Charles Darwin was a British naturalist who proposed the theory of natural selection to explain evolution. He believed that organisms that are better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. This leads to the gradual evolution of species.

Hugo de Vries was a Dutch botanist who proposed the theory of mutation to explain evolution. He believed that evolution occurs in large jumps, or mutations, rather than gradually.

Alfred Russel Wallace was a British naturalist who independently developed the theory of natural selection. He was a contemporary of Darwin and they corresponded extensively.

The theory of use and disuse is no longer accepted by the scientific community. However, it was an important step in the development of our understanding of evolution.