Question

Please answer the question, please provide brief explanation. Urgent, thanks.

43. Gerald Durrell is a famous British naturalist whose “Corfu Trilogy” is an enchanting and delightful account of his rare and magical childhood on the Greek island of Corfu that inspired “The Durrells in Corfu” on Masterpiece PBS. In the first book of this trilogy, “My Family and Other Animals” (1956), the 10-year-old Gerry Durrell is exploring the hills behind the family’s villa one spring day when he sees a tortoise emerge from the earth after its winter hibernation. “The bleary eyes blinked once or twice as the tortoise surveyed me; then, deciding I must be harmless, he hoisted himself with infinite care and effort out of its earthly cell, walked two or three steps and sank down in the sunshine, drowsing gently. After the long winter under the damp and chilly soil, that first sun-bath must have been like a drink of wine to the reptile. His legs were spread out from his shell, his neck extended as far as it could, his head resting on the ground; with eyes closed, the creature seemed to be absorbing sunshine through every bit of his body and shell. He remained lying there for about ten minutes, and then he rose, slowly and deliberately, and rolled off down the path to where a patch of dandelion and clover spread in the shade of a cypress.” Multiple-Choice with only one correct answer What process/mechanism of thermoregulation was being used by the tortoise, and what biophysical process was it using as it sun-bathed?

A. behavior; convection
B. behavior; radiation
C. thermogenesis; counter current exchange
D. biochemical acclimation; evaporative heating
E. heat tolerance; superheating

Answer 1

Q 43 : Answer: C -  thermogenesis; counter current exchange

Explanation: Tortoise after winter hibernation needs to be in the sun-light. The process/mechanism of thermoregulation & biophysical process used are - thermogenesis and counter current exchange.

• Thermogenesis - the production of heat due to the the tortoise being in the sun light
• Counter current exchange - is a mechanism in which there is cross over of heat (as blood flows to the tip of tongue of tortoise, it heats up blood returning to the body)