How Would Self- Sacrifice of Male Redback Spiders Be an Adaptive

question 32

Multiple Choice

How would self- sacrifice of male redback spiders be an adaptive behaviour?

• A) Males are able to mate with one female, then mate with another female nearby, before being devoured by the first female.
• B) The chance of a male meeting more than one female is quite low; self- sacrifice maximizes mating time with and sperm transfer to any female the male finds.
• C) Males only use self- sacrificing behaviour once they have mated with several females and have exhausted their sperm supplies.
• D) When males meet a female and self- sacrifice, it activates enzymes that make his sperm more fit and able to fertilize more eggs.

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Definitions:

Bronchioles

The small airway passages in the lungs that extend from the bronchi and lead to the air sacs (alveoli).

Capillaries

The smallest blood vessels in the body, responsible for the exchange of various substances between the blood and surrounding tissues.

Gases

States of matter consisting of particles that have neither a defined volume nor shape, expanding to fill their container.

Exhalation

The process of releasing air from the lungs through the respiratory tract; a key part of the breathing cycle in aerobic respiration.