The malformation in the animal pictured in the figure above is caused by which of the following?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The malformation shown in the figure above is suggestive of the malformation that occurs when the amphibian is infected with trematode parasites, also known as parasitic flukes. Some trematode parasites use snails as intermediate hosts, and amphibians become infected by ingesting infected snails. The parasites cause malformations and other damage to tadpoles, reducing their survival and fitness. UV light exposure can also cause malformations in amphibians, but the malformations caused by UV light exposure typically appear differently than the malformations caused by trematode parasites. Chytrid fungi infection causes skin lesions, and the presence of an alien amphibian could cause competition for resources, but neither of these would cause the specific malformation shown in the figure above. Therefore, the best choice is C) a parasitic fluke.

The Malformation in the Animal Pictured in the Figure Above