Naturalists were puzzled when they observed body parts with no apparent function. This observation led them to question which traditional theory?

A) evolution by natural selection
B) environmental trait selection
C) the great chain of being
D) competition from limited resources
E) survival of the fittest

The observation of body parts with no apparent function challenged the traditional theory of the great chain of being. This theory posited that organisms were hierarchically ordered from simple to complex, and each organism had a distinct place in the chain. The existence of vestigial structures suggested that this hierarchy might not be as clear-cut as previously believed.