Based on the context of the passage, what is the correct plural or possessive form of the noun in parentheses to fill in the blank?
Answer:In marine ecosystems, the early developmental stages of barnacles are critical for their long-term survival. During these initial weeks, free-swimming barnacle larvae undergo rapid morphological transformations in the water column. The 【larvae's】 (larva) protective shells form from calcium carbonate absorbed directly from the surrounding seawater, shielding the vulnerable organisms from both turbulent currents and benthic predators before they anchor to a permanent substrate.
Answer
larvae's
The correct answer is 'larvae's'. The surrounding sentence context utilizes the plural noun 'shells', the plural verb 'form', and the plural pronoun 'they', establishing that multiple organisms are being described. Therefore, the plural form of the noun 'larva'—which is 'larvae'—must be used. Because the plural noun 'larvae' does not end in 's', its possessive form is constructed by adding an apostrophe and 's' ('larvae's') to indicate ownership of the protective shells.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Plural and Possessive Nouns