Asked by Anganathi Ngodwane on Jul 17, 2024
Verified
Which of the following statements about countershading is true?
A) Countershading is widespread among living mammals, but there are no known instances of it in dinosaurs.
B) Countershading helps obscure the shadow cast by an animal, making it harder for predators to see it.
C) Only large predators use countershading to blend into their surroundings so that their prey cannot see them.
D) Countershading cannot be inferred from the fossil record because skin and scale tissue is never preserved.
Countershading
A coloration pattern in animals where the upper side is darker than the lower side, reducing visibility by counteracting the effects of light and shadow.
Predators
Organisms that hunt, kill, and consume other organisms for food.
Obscure
To make something difficult to see or to make unclear, either literally by blocking light or figuratively by being difficult to understand.
- Attain insight into the elementary components and distinctions of fossils.
Verified Answer
JS
Japneet SinghJul 20, 2024
Final Answer :
B
Explanation :
Countershading is a form of camouflage where the underside of an animal is lighter than its top side, reducing the visual cues that predators or prey use to detect shape and form. This helps obscure the shadow cast by the animal, making it more difficult for predators to see it. This adaptation is not limited to large predators or absent in dinosaurs; evidence of countershading has been inferred from fossil records, including preserved skin and scale impressions.
Learning Objectives
- Attain insight into the elementary components and distinctions of fossils.