[Elsie]

I don't see how your example addresses the facts of whether an individual or a group mutates.

[b_sharp]

"I don't see how your example addresses the facts of whether an individual or a group mutates.

An individual experiences a mutation. The mutation will not define a new species unless it is fixed in the population. (All members have access to the allele). The new allele will not fix in the population unless those that have it as part of their genome have offspring.