Question: Why does the lack of a large number of fossils, evenly spread out through time, make studying evolution more challenging for the paleoanthropologist? Group of answer choices Gaps in the fossil record complicate the identification of transitional forms and obscure key moments of speciation or adaptation, making it difficult to understand exactly why or how evolutionary change occurred, which frequently leads to debate, both within the paleoanthropological scientific community, as well as with the general public. The absence of fossils can suggest that species evolved in a way that left few or no traces, making it difficult to trace evolutionary paths. While evolutionary processes are generally accepted for all species, the fossil record provides incomplete evidence for human evolution specifically, bringing into question the validity of paleoanthropological analysis. A lack of fossils makes it difficult, if not impossible, to observe any intermediary species, which are essential for understanding the gradual steps of evolutionary processes. Some species experience long periods of adaptive stasis, with little to no change in the fossil record, in which these species likely are perfectly adapted and are no longer evolving. Need Assignment Help?