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Question #46171
The Question
The life cycle of Petromyzon (Lamprey) involves an anadromous migration where the freshwater ammocoete larva acts as a toothless, suspension filter-feeder. Upon metamorphosis, it transitions into a marine adult possessing a circular, suctorial mouth with keratinized teeth for an ectoparasitic lifestyle. From an ecological perspective, this drastic ontogenetic shift in dentition and habitat most effectively achieves which of the following, analogous to the evolutionary logic observed in MacArthur’s warblers?
Options
- A.
Competitive exclusion, leading to the elimination of the larval niche in marine environments to favor adult survival.
- B.
Intraspecific resource partitioning, effectively eliminating dietary and spatial overlap between developmental stages.
- C.
Character displacement, driven by interspecific competition with sympatric gnathostome fishes in the marine ecosystem.
- D.
A restriction of the realized niche in the adult stage to prevent the competitive release of the larval population.
Check Your Answer
Correct Answer
Step-by-Step Solution
Explanation
How the Examiner Thinks
Evolutionary_Exception
Tackle problems where standard rules evolve or change based on specific environmental constraints.
Concepts Behind This Question
Cyclostomata Dentition|Resource Partitioning|Organisms and Populations
Why This Question Is Tricky
Common Mistakes
Conceptual Pivot: Students typically memorize morphological facts (Cyclostomes have suctorial mouths, anadromous migration) and ecological concepts (Resource partitioning in Warblers) in strict isolation.
The trap relies on the misconception that resource partitioning only occurs between different species (interspecific).
This question forces the synthesis of ontogenetic niche shifts (larva vs. adult) as a highly effective mechanism of intraspecific resource partitioning.
Quick Facts About This Question
Question Information
| Subject | Biology |
| Chapter | Animal Kingdom - Class 11 |
| Concept | Cyclostomata Dentition |
| Difficulty | 8 |
| Cognitive Load | 5 |
| Target Solve Time | 120 sec |
| Access | Free |