Meerkats Are Small Desert Mammals That Live in Groups of 20-50

question 7

Multiple Choice

Meerkats are small desert mammals that live in groups of 20-50 individuals. You observe a female meerkat who spends all of her time caring for the 1-year-old offspring of her sister (her niece or nephew) . The aunt is capable of reproduction but has not reproduced. Which of the following would contribute to the evolution of this behavior pattern?

• A)The odds of any one female reproducing are completely random.
• B)Offspring require the efforts of a single adult (the mother)in order to be successful.
• C)Offspring require the efforts of at least two adults in order to be successful.
• D)Offspring are independent at the age of 3 months, with no adult care after that point.

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Definitions:

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that transmit signals across a synapse from one neuron to another in the brain.

Broca's Aphasia

A condition characterized by the partial loss of the ability to produce language due to damage in a specific area of the brain.

Spinal Cord

The Spinal Cord is a long, thin, tubular structure made of nervous tissue, which extends from the brainstem down the back, transmitting neural signals between the brain and the rest of the body.

Cerebral Hemispheres

The two halves of the brain, each responsible for controlling the opposite side of the body and specialized in different functions, such as language in the left hemisphere and spatial abilities in the right.