PT43 - Explain the Discrepancy Question (Q25)

Raychul123

I do not understand how this answer choice reconciles the discrepancy, I was wondering if anyone could further clarify this for me.

STIMULUS: "Burying Beetles do whatever they can to minimize the size of their competitors broods without adversely affecting their own. This is why they routinely destroy each other's eggs when two or more of the beetles inhabit the same breeding location. Yet, after the eggs hatch the adults treat all the larvae equally, sharing in the care of the entire population."

Answer choice B, the correct answer, states that Burying beetles are unable to discriminate between their own larvae and the larvae of other burying beetles. However, my problem with this answer choice is that the first sentence of the stimulus states that burying beetles do whatever they can to minimize the size of their competitors broods without adversely affecting their own. However, in order to notice this type of pattern within their behavior, wouldn't that imply that they have some sense of which are their brood?

JustDoIt

I don't think they have a sense of their own brood and that is the problem. Presumably they are also destroying their own young when two beetles inhabit the same spot. But with B, it explains why they are taking care of all young. They do not know if the larvae that they are caring for are there own and they are on the side of caution by caring for all young.

Does this help?

Raychul123

Yes okay thank you!- I was equating eggs with larvae whoops!