PT87.S3.Q4 - The coat patterns of large cat species...

Sim Simma

This question presents the cheetah as an exception to the coat pattern attributed to large cat species. From the stimulus, we know that Living/Hunting Habitats have an impact on the type of Coat a large cat has. We also know that, normally, Spotted Coat -> Habitat = trees and dappled forests. Meanwhile, Plain Coat -> Habitat = open plains.

Yet the Cheetah has a Spotted Coat, while living in the open plains. How come?

My problem with this question is that the most valid support for A (the correct answer) seems to be that it sharply distinguishes Cheetahs from all other large cats, which suggests "well, I guess cheetahs being weird regarding X helps explain why they're also weird regarding Y: they're just weird compared to normal large cats". But that still feels to me like A is just basically saying "ah, they're an anomaly because...they're an anomaly". If I asked this question to an expert on large cats, and answer choice A was his explanation, I'd just feel like it's another way of saying that he doesn't really have an explanation.

Another explanation for A that I've read is that "they don't rely on stealth, only purely speed, so it makes sense that they're in the open rather than in forests", but this, to me, seems to assume a lot about what kind of hunting strategy is most appropriate for large cats in forests. Regardless of whether it's true, I feel like we can't assume this based on the information on the stimulus.

I'm curious if anyone agrees with my assessment, or whether I am not assessing it the right way.

Thanks

Admin note: https://7sage.com/lsat_explanations/lsat-87-section-3-question-04/

taschasp

I was going to respond but JY's video explanation expresses it perfectly. There's a correlation between coat patterns and habitats of animals, and what answer choice a gets us to consider--as a solution to this anomaly--is that the REASON for this correlation might be that these animals evolved to hide from their prey, i.e. to rely on stealth. And a) says while these other cats need to rely on stealth (and thus have coats that correspond to their habitat), the cheetah doesn't, so it never evolved that way. Having a spotted coat in the plains didn't give the cheetah an evolutionary disadvantage. So that definitely helps to explain the anomaly, whereas the other answer choices don't even come close.

Sim Simma

@taschasp said:
I was going to respond but JY's video explanation expresses it perfectly. There's a correlation between coat patterns and habitats of animals, and what answer choice a gets us to consider--as a solution to this anomaly--is that the REASON for this correlation might be that these animals evolved to hide from their prey, i.e. to rely on stealth. And a) says while these other cats need to rely on stealth (and thus have coats that correspond to their habitat), the cheetah doesn't, so it never evolved that way. Having a spotted coat in the plains didn't give the cheetah an evolutionary disadvantage. So that definitely helps to explain the anomaly, whereas the other answer choices don't even come close.

That's great but not everyone has access to that video explanation. Thanks for the response.

taschasp

@"Sim Simma" said:
That's great but not everyone has access to that video explanation. Thanks for the response.

True, well, good thing I ended up responding anyway! What do you think, does it make sense?