More questions and answers

Advanced Animal Behaviour – Practice Question Bank

Section A: Multiple Choice

 

(1 mark each)

1. According to Trivers’ (1974) parent–offspring conflict model, an offspring will demand parental care until:

The benefit to itself is greater than half the cost to its siblings.




2. Which hypothesis predicts that begging intensity reflects current hunger and leads to more even food distribution among siblings?

B. Signal-of-need



3. In the barn swallow gape-colour experiment, painting the gape red tested:

B. Signal-of-quality hypothesis




4. Which of the following is an example of facultative siblicide?

B. Blue-footed booby




5. In common cuckoos, precise egg mimicry is most likely to evolve when:

B. Hosts have high rejection ability


6. In sexual selection theory, anisogamy refers to:

B. Unequal gamete size between sexes




7. The mate-assistance hypothesis predicts monogamy is favoured when:

B. Male parental care increases offspring survival

Answer: B




8. Which mating system is characterised by no stable pair bonds and both sexes mating multiply?

D. Promiscuity

Answer: D



9. Sexual conflict that results in male traits harming female fitness, followed by female counter-adaptations, is called:

B. Sexually antagonistic coevolution

Answer: B




10. The “Three Rs” in animal ethics refer to:

A. Replacement, Reduction, Refinement

Answer: A




Tactic or strategy? Large male dung beetles grow horns and fight for tunnels, while smaller males sneak past them. Having horns depends on how well nourished the beetle was as a larva.

Tactic

Tactic or strategy? In tree frogs, some males call loudly to attract females. Others reman silent and intercept females heading towards the callers. Males can switch roles between nights.

Tactic

Tactic or strategy? Male maine isopods come in three genetically determined forms: large fighters, small sneakers, adn female mimics.

Strategy

Tactic or strategy? In orangutans, some large flanged males advertise loudly to attract females, while smaller unflanged males can remain in one form for years and then switch.

Tactic

Tactic or strategy? In ruffs birds, males display three distinct genetically inherited mating types: territorial, satellites and female mimics.

Strategy

  1. Which of the following is an example of obligate siblicide?

    b) Nazca booby

  2. Which adaptation would be considered an avoidance strategy in sperm competition?

    c) Mate guarding

  3. In the sand lizard example, females bias paternity toward males with different MHC alleles. This is an example of:

    c) Compatible-genes hypothesis

  4. Which mating system is exhibited by sage grouse?

    b) Polygyny