Which of the following statements demonstrates a misconception about biological development?

The statement "Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny" reflects a historical perspective on development, originally proposed by German zoologist Ernst Haeckel in the 19th century. This concept suggests that the development of an organism (ontogeny) goes through stages that resemble the adult forms of its evolutionary ancestors (phylogeny), inferring a direct relationship between evolutionary history and embryonic development.

However, this idea is a misconception because it simplifies and misrepresents the complexities of both biological development and evolutionary processes. Modern biology recognizes that while there are some connections between the two, ontogeny does not literally recapitulate phylogeny. Instead, developmental processes are influenced by a combination of genetic, environmental, and evolutionary factors, leading to unique developmental pathways that do not strictly follow the sequence of evolutionary events.

In contrast, the other statements highlight fundamental concepts recognized in biology: the significance of all developmental stages, the impact of environmental factors on development, and the variability in developmental processes among different species—all of which align with current scientific understanding.