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Difficulty: MediumExplicit Details

The giant isopod (*Bathynomus giganteus*) is a deep-sea crustacean that inhabits the cold, benthic zones of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. Because food is scarce in these deep-sea environments, *B. giganteus* has adapted to function as a scavenger, feeding primarily on the carcasses of fallen whales, fish, and squid. When food is abundant, the isopod can gorge itself to the point of compromising its locomotive ability. Conversely, when resources are depleted, *B. giganteus* can survive long periods of starvation. In laboratory settings, researchers observed that captive giant isopods could survive for over five years without consuming any food, relying on their highly efficient, slow metabolic rates to sustain vital bodily functions during extended periods of resource scarcity.

Based on the text, what is true of *Bathynomus giganteus* when resources are scarce in its environment?

  1. A
    It travels to warmer oceanic regions in search of alternative food sources.
  2. B
    It actively hunts live deep-sea fish and squid rather than scavenging for carcasses.
  3. It can sustain its vital bodily functions by relying on a highly efficient, slow metabolic rate.Answer
  4. D
    It gorges on food to the point where its physical movement becomes severely compromised.

Answer

The giant isopod can sustain its vital bodily functions by relying on a highly efficient, slow metabolic rate.
The text explicitly states that during extended periods of resource scarcity, the giant isopod relies on a highly efficient, slow metabolic rate to sustain vital bodily functions. This directly supports the option stating that it can sustain its vital bodily functions by relying on a highly efficient, slow metabolic rate.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the prompt to determine the question's target.
The prompt asks what is true of the giant isopod when resources are scarce in its environment.
Identifying the target scenario (resource scarcity) allows us to locate the corresponding details in the text.
2
Locate the portion of the text discussing resource scarcity and starvation.
The text states that when resources are depleted, the isopod can survive long periods of starvation by relying on 'highly efficient, slow metabolic rates to sustain vital bodily functions during extended periods of resource scarcity.'
This step directly yields the explicit detail needed to identify the correct answer.
3
Evaluate the choices against the identified text details.
The option stating that the isopod can sustain its vital bodily functions by relying on a highly efficient, slow metabolic rate directly matches the text, while other options either contradict the text, make unsupported inferences, or describe behavior under abundant food conditions.
Comparing choices to the text ensures the selected option is explicitly stated and free of speculative inferences.

Key Concept

Identifying explicitly stated details in a text without making speculative inferences
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Explicit Details

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