Asked by Robin Sparks on Jul 02, 2024

Consider the life of the praying mantis. The large predatory female lays several hundred eggs in a foam mass in the fall. The young are most vulnerable when they emerge in the spring, but the few that survive spread out over the countryside and, if they find a mate, lay eggs the following fall. Which type of survivorship curve does this represent?

A) type I
B) type II
C) type III
D) type I or II
E) There is not enough information given to determine the type of survivorship curve.

Praying Mantis

A carnivorous insect known for its distinctive posture that resembles praying hands, belongs to the family Mantidae.

Survivorship Curve

A graphical representation of the number of individuals of a species or population that survive at different stages throughout their lifespan.

Type III

Often related to classification systems, such as Type III hypersensitivity in immunology, characterized by immune complex-mediated reactions.

  • Elucidate on the variety of survivorship curves and their corresponding life history strategies.