Question

Physiological adaptations often reflect strategies that balance metabolic demands with energetic costs. Which of the following statements about balancing costs and demands is FALSE?

A. Mammals with larger offspring also have fewer offspring due to the metabolic costs associated with longer gestation periods.

B. Mammals have a four-chambered heart because being an endotherm is more metabolically costly than being an ectotherm.

C. Mammals must consume more food than reptiles of a similar size in order to meet the high metabolic demands of their brains.

D. Mammals that are omnivores have longer intestines than mammals that are herbivores to ensure that they maximize absorption from both plant and animal foods.

Answer 1

The incorrect option is D) Mammals that are omnivores have longer intestines than mammals that are herbivores to ensure that they maximize absorption from both plant and animal foods. Omnivores have a medium sized intestines. Carnivores have the shortest intestines and herbivores have the longest intestines. Herbivores have long intestines because thier diet is mainly based on plants and grass. The plant products constitute of fibres and cellulose as a major components which are very diffucult to digest. Thus to completely digest they need a relatively longer intestine to break down the food.

Option A, B and C are absolutely correct.

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