Asked by Kennedy Woodward on Jun 14, 2024
Verified
We observe a frog that carries its babies on its back away from where the eggs hatched. Here are two questions about this observation:
X- Does the frog do this to move the babies to a place where they will be safer and more likely to survive?
Y- Does the frog have specific morphological traits that enable it to hold and transfer its babies in this way?
Which of the two is a proximate question?
A) X, because it considers the adaptive value or function of the trait
B) Y, because it asks about the developmental mechanisms that influence the components of the animal
C) Both X and Y, because they look at the immediate and mechanistic causes of the behavior
D) Neither X or Y, because they both take an adaptive or evolutionary approach to look at the ultimate causes of the behavior
Proximate Question
A question that seeks to identify the immediate, underlying mechanisms and conditions that lead to a biological trait or behavior.
Morphological Traits
Characteristics of an organism's form and structure that can be observed or measured, such as size, shape, and color, which often have ecological and evolutionary significance.
Developmental Mechanisms
Biological and environmental processes that guide growth and development in organisms from conception to maturity.
- Recognize the difference between proximate and ultimate questions in the study of animal behavior.
Verified Answer
GM
griffin moulisJun 17, 2024
Final Answer :
B
Explanation :
Y is a proximate question because it inquires about the immediate mechanisms (in this case, morphological traits) that enable the behavior, focusing on how the behavior occurs.
Learning Objectives
- Recognize the difference between proximate and ultimate questions in the study of animal behavior.