Multiple Choice
The image shows a group of fish swimming closely together in the same direction. Which type of social behavior is being exhibited by the fish?
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49. Animal Behavior
Animal Behavior
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Why are the olfactory bulbs larger in sheep than in humans?
A
Humans use their sense of smell more for detecting predators than sheep.
B
The size of the olfactory bulbs is unrelated to the importance of smell in an animal's behavior.
C
Sheep rely more heavily on their sense of smell for survival and social communication than humans do.
D
Sheep have a larger brain overall, which results in larger olfactory bulbs.
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand the role of the olfactory bulbs: The olfactory bulbs are structures in the brain responsible for processing information related to the sense of smell. Their size is often correlated with the importance of smell in an animal's behavior and survival.
Compare the reliance on smell between sheep and humans: Sheep rely heavily on their sense of smell for survival tasks such as detecting predators, identifying food, and social communication (e.g., recognizing other sheep or offspring). Humans, on the other hand, rely more on vision and other senses for these tasks.
Analyze the relationship between olfactory bulb size and function: In animals where the sense of smell is critical for survival, the olfactory bulbs tend to be larger to accommodate the increased neural processing required for olfactory information.
Evaluate the incorrect statements: The claim that humans use their sense of smell more for detecting predators than sheep is incorrect because humans primarily rely on vision and hearing for predator detection. Additionally, the size of the olfactory bulbs is not unrelated to the importance of smell in behavior; it is directly related.
Conclude with the correct explanation: Sheep have larger olfactory bulbs than humans because they rely more heavily on their sense of smell for survival and social communication. This is a functional adaptation to their ecological and behavioral needs.
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