Asked by Ryann Goodsell on Jun 18, 2024
Verified
Why are there no gigantic insects alive today?
A) There is no niche for gigantic insects.
B) There are gigantic insects in remote regions of the tropics; we just have not discovered them.
C) The concentration of oxygen in the atmosphere is too low to make gigantic body size in insects efficient.
D) There is no evidence of gigantic insects in the past, so there can not be any alive today due to constraining evolution.
Atmospheric Oxygen
The volume of oxygen gas present in the Earth's atmosphere, essential for the respiratory processes of most living organisms.
Gigantic Insects
Refers to unusually large insects, often depicted in science fiction and fantasy, not currently existing due to physical and environmental limitations.
- Outline the evolution of specific physical and functional traits in animals.
Verified Answer
AP
Angelo PaganafanadorJun 25, 2024
Final Answer :
C
Explanation :
The size of insects is limited by the way they breathe, through spiracles and tracheal tubes, which is less efficient at higher body sizes, especially in today's lower oxygen concentration atmosphere compared to past geological periods when larger insects existed.
Learning Objectives
- Outline the evolution of specific physical and functional traits in animals.