Fossil Evidence Indicates That Several Kinds of Flightless Dinosaurs Possessed

question 10

Multiple Choice

Fossil evidence indicates that several kinds of flightless dinosaurs possessed feathers. If some of these feather-bearing dinosaurs incubated clutches of eggs in carefully constructed nests, this might be evidence supporting the claim that

• A) dinosaurs were as fully endothermal (warm-blooded) as modern birds and mammals.
• B) their feathers originally served as insulation, and only later became flight surfaces.
• C) the earliest reptiles could fly, and the feathers of flightless dinosaurs were vestigial flight surfaces.
• D) the feathers were plucked from the bodies of other adults to provide nest-building materials.
• E) all fossils with feathers are actually some kind of bird.

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Definitions:

Nutrient

Substance that an organism must acquire from the environment for growth and survival.

Cecum

A pouch connected to the junction of the small and large intestines which plays a role in absorbing fluids and salts that remain after intestinal digestion.

Large Intestine

The final section of the digestive system, responsible for water absorption and forming solid waste from undigested food.

Beneficial Bacteria

Beneficial bacteria are microbes that perform vital roles in ecosystems, including digestion, nutrient cycling, and protecting against harmful organisms.