Question 1

Upon returning to its hive, a European honeybee communicates to other worker bees the presence of a nearby food source it has discovered by ________.

Accepted Answer

B

Question 2

A lizard's bobbing dewlap (a colorful flap of skin hanging from an Anolis lizard's throat)is an example of a(n)________.

Accepted Answer

The bobbing dewlap is a signal that the lizard uses to communicate with other lizards, especially during courtship or territorial displays. It is not a stimulus, reflex, or innate releasing mechanism as it is a deliberately controlled behavior of the lizard.

Question 3

A cage containing male mosquitoes has a small earphone placed on top, through which the sound of a female mosquito is played. All the males immediately fly to the earphone and go through all of the steps of copulation. What is the best explanation for this behavior?

Accepted Answer

Copulation is a fixed action pattern, and the female flight sound is a sign stimulus that initiates it.

Question 4

Which of the following is required for a behavioral trait to evolve by natural selection?

Accepted Answer

For a behavioral trait to evolve by natural selection, it must confer some advantage in terms of reproductive success. This means that individuals who possess the behavior will be more likely to successfully pass on their genes to the next generation. Therefore, an individual's reproductive success must depend in part on how the behavior is performed. Both choices A and B are incorrect because they imply that the behavior is fixed and cannot vary within a population. Choice D is incorrect because if the behavior is not genetically inherited, then it cannot be subject to natural selection.

Question 5

Displays of nocturnal mammals are usually ________.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Displays of nocturnal mammals are usually ________.
...

Question 6

In testing a hypothesis that "territorial defense in European robins is a fixed action pattern that is released by the sight of orange feathers," researchers found that robins defended their territory by attacking anything that was of similar size and had an orange patch. What experiment would you perform next to determine that the color initiated the defense response?

Accepted Answer

This experiment tests if it is specifically the color orange that initiates the defensive response. By using a different color (blue) and observing if the robins still initiate a defensive response, the researchers can determine if it is the color itself or some other factor that triggers the behavior.

Question 7

What type of signal is long-lasting and works at night?

Accepted Answer

Olfactory signals, such as scents, can linger in the environment for long periods of time and can be detected by animals at night. Visual signals may not be visible in the dark, auditory signals may not be as effective at night, and electrical signals are not relevant to this question.

Question 8

Scientists believe that the direction birds go when migrating is guided in part by ________.
I.the stars in the night sky
II.the sun during the day
III.the magnetic field of the Earth

Accepted Answer

Scientists believe that birds use a variety of cues, including the stars in the night sky, the sun during the day, and the magnetic field of the Earth, to guide their migration.

Question 9

A stickleback fish will attack a fish model as long as the model has red coloring. What animal behavior idea is manifested by this observation?

Accepted Answer

The stickleback fish's response to the red coloring on the fish model is an example of a sign stimulus triggering a fixed action pattern. The presence of the red coloring is a specific stimulus that elicits the aggressive response.

Question 10

Use the following figures to answer the question.

What could you conclude if the honeybee in the figure switched from the "waggle dance" to the "round dance"?

Accepted Answer

The round dance is used to communicate the presence of a food source that is close to the hive, within 50-70 meters. If the honeybee switched from the waggle dance to the round dance, it means that it has found a nearby food source.

Question 11

Which of the following experiments best addresses the hypothesis that moths stop flying in response to high-intensity bat sounds?

Accepted Answer

Playing prerecorded high-intensity bat sounds to flying moths is the best experiment because it directly tests the hypothesis that moths stop flying in response to these sounds. This experiment can control the intensity and duration of the sound, as well as the distance between the moth and the sound source, to determine the threshold for the moth's response.

Question 12

Which of the following examples describes a behavioral pattern that results from a proximate cause?

Accepted Answer

The female bird laying eggs in response to decreasing daylight is a proximate cause, as it is a direct trigger for the behavior.

Answer: A, B, D 
 These examples describe ultimate causes, as they involve more complex motivations for behavior such as obtaining nutrition, improving social position, or avoiding predators.

Question 13

Squirrels will make alarm sounds when a model of an owl is placed in their territory. When a red block the same size of the owl is placed in the territory, the squirrel does not alarm. What can you conclude from these observations?

Accepted Answer

The observation suggests that the squirrel is specifically alarmed by the owl model, which may be a sign that triggers the fixed action pattern of alarm vocalizations. The fact that the red block, which is the same size as the owl model, did not elicit the same response suggests that the squirrel is capable of detecting and responding to specific characteristics of the stimuli in its environment. It is not necessary to conclude that the squirrel cannot see red objects or that the ultimate cause of alarm vocalization behavior is the owl model. It is also unlikely that the squirrel is trying to attract the owl into its territory by making alarm sounds.

Question 14

Use the following figures to answer the question.
A.

B.

C.

If the figure shows the dances of bees in a hive at noon on June 21 in the northern hemisphere (the sun is directly north of the hive), which dance is communicating that the food is to the south of the hive?

Accepted Answer

In the waggle dance, the angle that the bee moves in relation to gravity indicates the direction of the food source relative to the position of the sun. In this case, since the sun is directly north of the hive, any dance movement directly opposite the sun (south) indicates the direction of the food source. In dance A, the bee is moving directly downward, which corresponds to the direction of the food source being south of the hive. Therefore, dance A is communicating that the food is to the south of the hive.

Question 15

The proximate causes of behavior are interactions with the environment, but behavior is ultimately shaped by ________.

Accepted Answer

Behavior ultimately shaped by evolution. While hormones, pheromones, and the nervous system can all contribute to behavior, they are proximate causes—mechanisms that directly trigger a behavior in response to a specific environmental cue. Evolutionary factors such as natural selection and genetic variation, on the other hand, shape behavior over longer timescales by favoring traits that enhance survival and reproduction.

Question 16

During a field trip, an instructor touched a moth resting on a tree trunk. The moth raised its forewings to reveal large eyespots on its hind wings. The instructor asked why the moth lifted its wings. One student answered that sensory receptors had fired and triggered a neuronal reflex culminating in the contraction of certain muscles. A second student responded that the behavior might frighten predators. Which statement best describes these explanations?

Accepted Answer

The first explanation refers to proximate causation, or the immediate physiological mechanisms underlying a behavior, while the second explanation refers to ultimate causation, or the evolutionary reasons why a behavior has evolved. Both explanations can be valid and complementary, but they operate at different levels of analysis.

Question 17

Use the following figures to answer the question.

From the figure, what can we determine about the location of the food source?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Use the following figures to answer the...

Question 18

Circannual rhythms in birds are influenced by ________.

Accepted Answer

Circannual rhythms in birds are mainly influenced by changes in daylight and darkness, which in turn affect hormone production and regulate physiological and behavioral processes. While food availability, magnetic fields, and lunar cycles may also have some impact, their influence is typically secondary to the primary role of photoperiod.

Question 19

What type of signal is fast and requires daylight with no obstructions?

Accepted Answer

Visual signals are fast and requires daylight with no obstructions, as they rely on the transmission of light through a medium (usually air or water) to reach the receiver. This is why visual signals are commonly used in traffic control, aviation, and maritime operations, where quick and reliable communication is essential for safety and efficiency. Olfactory signals (A) rely on the transmission of chemical molecules through the air, which can be affected by factors such as wind direction, humidity, and distance. Auditory signals (C) rely on the transmission of sound waves through a medium, which can be obstructed by walls, buildings, terrain, and other objects. Tactile signals (D) rely on the transmission of physical vibrations through a solid medium, such as the ground or a wall, and are typically used in situations where the receiver may be deaf or unable to see or hear the signal.

Question 20

What type of signal is brief and can work among obstructions at night?

Accepted Answer

An auditory signal is typically brief and can work among obstructions at night since sound waves can travel through obstacles such as trees and buildings. Olfactory signals are based on smells and are not effective at night, while visual signals require light, which may not be present during the night. Magnetic signals are not used in communication.

Quiz 51: Animal Behavior