The Gecko,Lepidodactylus Lugubris Is Outcompeted by an Introduced Species of Gecko,Hemidactylus

question 38

Multiple Choice

The gecko,Lepidodactylus lugubris is outcompeted by an introduced species of gecko,Hemidactylus frenatus.This is because

• A) Both species are insectivorous, and insects are a limiting resource.
• B) Lepidodactylus lugubris is cannibalistic, and as a result depletes its own populations.
• C) The diets of the two species overlap substantially.
• D) Hemidactylus frenatus depletes resources to lower levels than L. lugubris.

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Definitions:

Vertebral Column

Portion of the vertebrate endoskeleton that houses the spinal cord; consists of many vertebrae separated by intervertebral discs.

Dorsal Notochord

A flexible rod-shaped structure in the embryo of all chordates, including humans, that provides skeletal support and defines the primitive axis of the embryo.

Pharyngeal Pouches

Embryonic features that form structures of the face and neck in vertebrates.

Evolution

The process by which different kinds of living organisms are thought to have developed and diversified from earlier forms during the history of the earth.