Concept:
Various scientists have proposed different theories to explain evolution and development. Ernst Haeckel is famous for proposing the Biogenetic Law, commonly known as the Theory of Recapitulation.
According to this theory, the developmental stages of an organism provide clues about its evolutionary history.
Step 1: Understanding Ernst Haeckel's contribution.
Ernst Haeckel was a German biologist who studied embryonic development and evolution. He proposed that the development of an individual organism reflects the evolutionary history of its ancestors.
Step 2: Statement of the Theory of Recapitulation.
The theory states:
\[
\text{"Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny"}
\]
where,
• Ontogeny = Development of an individual organism
• Phylogeny = Evolutionary history of a species
According to Haeckel, embryonic stages pass through forms resembling ancestral organisms.
Step 3: Eliminating the incorrect options.
• Theory of natural selection was proposed by Charles Darwin.
• Theory of inheritance of acquired characters was proposed by Jean Baptiste Lamarck.
• Mutation theory was proposed by Hugo de Vries.
Therefore, the correct answer is the Theory of Recapitulation.