Many bird and reptile species use hissing as a threat device against

Question

Many bird and reptile species use hissing as a threat device against potential predators. The way these species produce hissing sounds is similar enough that it is likely that this behavior developed in an early common ancestor. At the time this common ancestor would have lived, however, none of its potential predators would have yet acquired the anatomy necessary to hear hissing sounds.

Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy in the information above?

(A) Like its potential predators, the common ancestor of bird and reptile species would have lacked the anatomy necessary to hear hissing sounds.
(B) The common ancestor of bird and reptile species would probably have employed multiple threat devices against potential predators.
(C) The production of a hissing sound would have increased the apparent body size of the common ancestor of bird and reptile species.
(D) The use of hissing as a threat device would have been less energetically costly than other threat behaviors available to the common ancestor of bird and reptile species.
(E) Unlike most modern bird and reptile species, the common ancestor of these species would have had few predators.

Aashimabhatia · Answer

The apparent discrepancy is this:
Many modern birds and reptiles hiss to deter predators. This behavior likely originated from a common ancestor. But that ancestor’s predators couldn’t hear hissing.
So: Why would hissing evolve as a threat if predators couldn’t hear it? What purpose would it serve?

(C) The production of a hissing sound would have increased the apparent body size of the common ancestor of bird and reptile species.
Even if the sound wasn’t heard, maybe the action of hissing (puffing up, opening mouth, posture, etc.) made the animal look bigger or more threatening, which would deter predators visually.
✅ This explains how hissing could evolve even if it wasn’t originally an audible deterrent.

SassyTile · Answer

How is C the correct answer? It is equally as vague in assumptions as B, so why isn’t B the correct answer?

guddo · Answer

Many bird and reptile species use hissing as a threat device against potential predators. The way these species produce hissing sounds is similar enough that it is likely that this behavior developed in an early common ancestor. At the time this common ancestor would have lived, however, none of its potential predators would have yet acquired the anatomy necessary to hear hissing sounds. 
 
Which one of the following, if true, most helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy in the information above?

The puzzle is this: hissing is used as a threat, but the early predators could not hear it. So the best resolution is that hissing helped in  some way other than being heard .

(A) Like its potential predators, the common ancestor of bird and reptile species would have lacked the anatomy necessary to hear hissing sounds.

This does not resolve the discrepancy. It makes the sound seem even less useful.

(B) The common ancestor of bird and reptile species would probably have employed multiple threat devices against potential predators.

This is too weak. Even if it used other threat devices too, that does not explain why hissing developed.

(C) The production of a hissing sound would have increased the apparent body size of the common ancestor of bird and reptile species.

This is correct.  If hissing made the animal seem larger , then it could still work as a threat even if predators could not hear the sound itself.

(D) The use of hissing as a threat device would have been less energetically costly than other threat behaviors available to the common ancestor of bird and reptile species.

This does not explain how hissing would threaten predators that could not hear it.

(E) Unlike most modern bird and reptile species, the common ancestor of these species would have had few predators.

This does not explain why hissing developed as a threat device.

Answer: (C)

Many bird and reptile species use hissing as a threat device against

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Many bird and reptile species use hissing as a threat device against

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