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Question #46858
The Question
In terrestrial mammals, adipose tissue is a loose connective tissue primarily specialized for caloric storage and thermal insulation. However, members of Class Chondrichthyes utilize massive lipid accumulation (such as squalene) in their liver to compensate for the absence of a specific anatomical structure found in Osteichthyes. Functionally, this lipid-rich liver in Chondrichthyes and the missing structure it compensates for in Osteichthyes represent:
Options
- A.
Analogous structures, as both provide hydrostatic lift despite the liver being a glandular organ and the other being a gas-filled sac.
- B.
Homologous structures, as both are endodermally derived organs modified from ancestral adipose tissue for buoyancy.
- C.
Analogous structures, as both are specialized modifications of areolar connective tissue acting as energy reservoirs.
- D.
Homologous structures, as both provide neutral buoyancy and share a common origin from the embryonic mesoderm.
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
Adipose vs Areolar Function|Analogous Organ Structure|Chondrichthyes vs. Osteichthyes Buoyancy
Why This Question Is Tricky
Common Mistakes
Conceptual Pivot: Students often memorize the NCERT fact that 'Chondrichthyes lack an air bladder' but fail to synthesize how they achieve buoyancy (lipid-rich liver).
The trap relies on confusing the physiological function of lipid storage.
While students associate lipid storage strictly with 'adipose tissue' (mesodermal connective tissue), in sharks, it occurs in the liver (endodermal) for a biomechanical function (hydrostatic lift).
Recognizing the functional convergence (analogy) between a lipid-storing liver and a gas-filled swim bladder is the key to solving this.
Quick Facts About This Question
Question Information
| Subject | Biology |
| Chapter | Structural Organisation in Animals - Class 11 |
| Concept | Adipose vs Areolar Function |
| Difficulty | 8 |
| Cognitive Load | 5 |
| Target Solve Time | 120 sec |
| Access | Free |