Question

I need help explaining these:

A) What is it that the Acacia gain from having the Pseudomyrmex ants living on them? Can you think of any times that this relationship might interfere with the Acacia's needs?

B) How does masting protect trees (such as Eucalyptus) from their predators?

C) Hypsodont dentition means that the teeth are constantly growing due to high wear while eating plant matter, Lophodont dentition refers to a large surface area which is used for grinding foods, particularly plant matter, to mechanically break down the cell walls to improve digestion.  

What is selenodont dentition/ (Hint: look at the shape of the cusps on the grinding teeth and then think of a Greek god or goddess from which the word selenodont may have been derived).

D) In the segment on 'Strategies to Avoid Predation', on of the options to avoid capture was to longitudinal striping on the body. How could this reduce the likelihood of an organism from being captured? It may help to consider how you know when it is safe to make a left hand turn onto campus even when there is some southbound traffic on main street.

Answer 1

QA.Answer:- Acacia gains protection from other animals that eat acacia , as a benefit from Pseudomyrmex ants living on them. Both acacia plant and Pseudomyrmex share mutualism hence acacia provide them shelter and food by providing space to make them nest and nector respectively. No, this mutual relationship between them never interfere with Acacia's need .

Q.B. Answer:- Masting protect trees from their predator by creating a situation where predator become confused or we can call it predator statiation thereby enhancing the viability and survival and fitness of the seed of that species. Masting is a natural phenomenon adopted by the plants such as Eukalyptus to protect them from predator by overproduction of seeds or fruits up to two or more consecutive years and hence they create a situation where predator is unable to idntify which is selfed cross or outcrossed and large portion of seed saved from being eaten by the predator .

C) Answer:- Selenodont definition:- Selenodont are types of teeth specially found in ruminant in which appear as low crown structure or moon like cusps when viewed from above and are helpful in breaking tough vegetables portion by chewing.