Parasitism is one of the most widespread life strategies ever to evolve.Which of the following is consistent with this finding?
A)Parasites almost always predigest their hosts' tissues and therefore spend less energy and require fewer structural adaptations.
B)Parasites,unlike predators,feed on almost all the tissues of their host.
C)Parasites do not generally kill their hosts,thus they can feed on the same host throughout the host's normal life span and do not have competition from decomposers.
D)Parasites generally kill their host and can feed for a very long time because they are much smaller than their host.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The statement that parasites do not generally kill their hosts is consistent with the idea that parasites can feed on the same host throughout its normal lifespan, avoiding competition from decomposers. This also allows parasites to expend less energy and require fewer structural adaptations as they do not need to locate new hosts. Option A is incorrect because parasites do not always predigest their hosts' tissues, and may instead obtain nutrients and energy from various tissues in the host's body. Option B is incorrect because parasites can feed on specific tissues, organs, or fluids within a host's body, rather than all tissues. Option D is incorrect, as parasites that kill their hosts would not be able to feed on them for a prolonged period.

Parasitism Is One of the Most Widespread Life Strategies Ever