The diet of Heliothis subjlexa caterpillars consists entirely of fruit

Short Story : 1. The diet of Heliothis subflexa caterpillars consists entirely of fruit from plants of the genus Physalis.
2. These fruit do not contain linolenic acid, which is necessary to the growth and maturation of many insects other than H. subflexa.
3. Linolenic acid in an insect's diet is also necessary for the production of a chemical called volicitin.
4. While most caterpillar species have volicitin in their saliva, H. subflexa does not.

Inference : So, it is clear that the Heliothis sublflexa is not having Linolenic acid from its diet. Also since it is having volicitin in its saliva, so it also not synthesizing Linolenic acid in its body. Basically H. subflexa is not having Linolenic acid at all.

(A) H. subflexa caterpillars synthesize linolenic acid within their bodies.
If they would have been synthesizing linolenic acid within their bodies, they might be having volicitin in their saliva, which is not the case. So, it cannot be inferred.


(B) Most species of caterpillar have sources of linolenic acid in their diets.
Yes it can be inferred that most of the caterpillar other than H. subflexa caterpillars is getting linolenic acid from their diet.

(C) Any caterpillar that has linolenic acid in its diet has volicitin in its saliva.
It cannot be inferred. There might be caterpillars who might nit be having volicitin in their saliva.

(D) A food source containing linolenic acid would be poisonous to H. subflexa caterpillars.
Out of scope

(E) No caterpillars other than H. subflexa eat fruit from plants of the genus Physalis.
It cannot be inferred. other caterpillars might be eating fruit from plants of the genus Physalis and other items also.