Question

question 18 (multiple choice worth 4 points) (05.02 mc) coral snakes are brightly colored, highly venomous snakes with red, yellow, and black bands along their bodies. another species of snake, called the scarlet king snake, has similar bands of red, black, and yellow. which of the following describes the conditions that resulted in a large population of king snakes with these types of markings?

• king snakes and coral snakes relied on similar food sources that contributed to their unique coloring.
• since king snakes with these markings were avoided by predators, they were able to survive to pass on this trait to offspring.
• coral snakes mated with king snakes often enough to produce another species of king snake with the red, black, and yellow.
• overproduction of offspring increased the likelihood that the genetic mutation leading to these bands would spontaneously occur.

Explanation:

This question is about the survival and reproduction of king snakes with markings similar to coral snakes. The key concept here is natural selection (a concept in Biology, which is a subfield of Natural Science). Coral snakes are venomous, so predators avoid them. King snakes with similar markings (mimicry) would also be avoided by predators, allowing them to survive and pass on their traits (the markings) to offspring. Let's analyze each option:

• Option 1: The question is about markings related to predator avoidance, not food sources. So this is incorrect.
• Option 2: Since coral snakes are venomous and avoided by predators, king snakes with similar markings (Batesian mimicry) would also be avoided. This allows them to survive and reproduce, passing on the trait. This matches the concept of natural selection.
• Option 3: There's no indication of king snakes mating with coral snakes to produce a new species. They are different species, and the question is about the population of king snakes with the markings, not speciation. So this is incorrect.
• Option 4: The question is about the survival advantage of the markings, not overproduction leading to mutation. The markings are likely a result of natural selection (predator avoidance) rather than a random mutation due to overproduction. So this is incorrect.

Answer:

B. Since king snakes with these markings were avoided by predators, they were able to survive to pass on this trait to offspring.