The theory of use and disuse of organs was promulgated by

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks who proposed the theory of "use and disuse of organs." This is a topic in Evolution, which is part of the JAMB Biology syllabus.

Step 2: Explain the concept The theory of use and disuse says that:

• Organs that are used frequently become stronger and more developed.
• Organs that are not used become weak and may eventually disappear.
• These changes, called acquired characteristics, are passed on to the offspring.

The classic example is the giraffe. Ancestors of the giraffe kept stretching their necks to reach leaves on tall trees. According to the theory, their necks became longer, and this longer neck was passed on to their offspring.

Step 3: Check each option

• A. Alfred Wallace: He independently proposed natural selection, at the same time as Darwin. He did not propose use and disuse.
• B. Charles Darwin: He proposed natural selection and "survival of the fittest" in On the Origin of Species. This is different from use and disuse.
• C. Jean Lamarck: He proposed the theory of use and disuse and the inheritance of acquired characteristics. This is correct.
• D. Robert Hooke: He is known for coining the word "cell" after observing cork under a microscope. He has no link to evolution theory.

Step 4: Answer The theory of use and disuse of organs was promulgated by Jean Lamarck, which is option C.

Exam tip: Link the names to their ideas:

• Lamarck = Lack of use, so the organ is lost (use and disuse).
• Darwin = Descent with modification through natural selection.
• Hooke = Hooked onto cells.

Also remember that today, acquired characteristics are not believed to be inherited, which is why Lamarck's theory was rejected. JAMB often asks about this contrast too.