Along the mudflats of Garantia, exist two types of annelids: earthworm

Question

Along the mudflats of Garantia, exist two types of annelids: earthworms and lugworms. Earthworms tend to emerge from the mud early in the morning when there is more moisture and nutrients. As a result, earthworms have access to more nutrients and thus reproduce far faster than the lugworm, which spends much of the day submerged in the mud. Nonetheless, the lugworm population far outnumbers that of the earthworm.

Which of the following, if true, helps LEAST to resolve the apparent discrepancy noted above?

Which of the following, if true, helps LEAST to resolve the apparent discrepancy noted above?

(A) Lugworms have specialized taste receivers, which allow them to access nutrients below ground far more easily than earthworms can.

(B) The whooping crane, the earthworm’s chief predator, hunts along the mudflats during the time the earthworms are feeding at the surface.

(C ) Lugworms resemble the color of the mudflat, and are thus more difficult to spot by predators than earthworms are.

(D) Compared to the lugworm, earthworms are able to consume fewer nutrients at one time.

(E) Lugworms secrete a mix of enzymes that kills a parasitic insect found on mudflats worldwide, an insect to which many other annelids fall prey.

ElninoEffect · Answer

Earthworms emerge from the mud early, gets more access to moisture and nutrients and thus produce far faster than lugworms.
Lugworms spend most of the day under the mud still there population far outnumbers the earthworms.

There is a paradox

And question is asking which one least resolves it.
In this case i will be looking for options other way round if it resolves the paradox its out. If not that's the right answer.

(A) Lugworms have specialized taste receivers, which allow them to access nutrients below ground far more easily than earthworms can.
 Resolves the paradox. Out. 
(B) The whooping crane, the earthworm’s chief predator, hunts along the mudflats during the time the earthworms are feeding at the surface.
 Resolves the paradox. Out. 
(C ) Lugworms resemble the color of the mudflat, and are thus more difficult to spot by predators than earthworms are.
 Resolves the paradox. Out. 
(D) Compared to the lugworm, earthworms are able to consume fewer nutrients at one time.
 This one is least helpful in resolving the paradox hence it's our answer. 
(E) Lugworms secrete a mix of enzymes that kills a parasitic insect found on mudflats worldwide, an insect to which many other annelids fall prey.
 Resolves the paradox. Out.

thakurarun85 · Answer

Why not C is correct.

L resembles the mud but to be spotted by a predator it needs to come out in day time. This is not the case here.

On the contrary.

If earthworm eat less at a time, its growth both in size and number can be less. Also this could be a natural phenomenon.

Correct me if I am wrong.

ElninoEffect · Answer

Along the mudflats of Garantia, exist two types of annelids: earthworms and lugworms. Earthworms tend to emerge from the mud early in the morning when there is more moisture and nutrients. As a result, earthworms have access to more nutrients and thus reproduce far faster than the lugworm, which spends much of the day submerged in the mud. Nonetheless, the lugworm population far outnumbers that of the earthworm.

Which of the following, if true, helps LEAST to resolve the apparent discrepancy noted above?

Read the premise it's all in there.

Your statement:
"L resembles the mud but to be spotted by a predator it needs to come out in day time. This is not the case here. "
Where it is written it doesn't come out in day time.? (much of the time vs all the time is not the same.)
also
"If earthworm eat less at a time, its growth both in size and number can be less. Also this could be a natural phenomenon. "
It's already mentioned they reproduce far faster than the lugworm.

The premise itself is breaking your both questions.

KrishnanTN · Answer

(A) Lugworms have specialized taste receivers, which allow them to access nutrients below ground far more easily than earthworms can.
As the lugworms can have food without coming to the surface, they can reproduce.
This gives us a reason why lugworm population is greater than that of earthworms. 
HELPS RESOLVE DISCREPANCY - REJECTED.

(B) The whooping crane, the earthworm’s chief predator, hunts along the mudflats during the time the earthworms are feeding at the surface.
The crane eats the earthworms, but not the lugworms.
This gives us a reason why lugworm population is greater than that of earthworms. 
HELPS RESOLVE DISCREPANCY

(C ) Lugworms resemble the color of the mudflat, and are thus more difficult to spot by predators than earthworms are.
Earthworms can be more easily eaten by predators than the lugworms can be eaten by predators.
This gives us a reason why lugworm population is greater than that of earthworms. 
HELPS RESOLVE DISCREPANCY

(D) Compared to the lugworm, earthworms are able to consume fewer nutrients at one time.
While The amount of nutrients that are consumed at 1 time are fewer for Earthworms, the option does not say whether these nutrients are sufficent enough for the earthworms. 
DOES NOT HELP RESOLVE DISCREPANCY - RIGHT ANSWER

(E) Lugworms secrete a mix of enzymes that kills a parasitic insect found on mudflats worldwide, an insect to which many other annelids fall prey.
Lugworms have a defence against parasites which the earthworms do not. As the option says worldwide, we can include Garantia too.
This gives us a reason why lugworm population is greater than that of earthworms. 
HELPS RESOLVE DISCREPANCY

KrishnanTN · Answer

C is not right because 
a) The Earthworms can eat many times. In fact, since they might, since they come out earlier than the lugworms.

gullyboy09 · Answer

Hi  Bunuel , can you post the official explanation?

In option E, if lugworm secrete a mix of enzymes that kills a parasitic insect found on mudflats worldwide, an insect to which many other annelids fall prey, which means it is helpful in a way for earthworm population, then how come it resolve the paradox of population difference? And even if "other" annelides doesnt contain earthworm, how come it helps lugworm to have more population, and not earthworm. Nothing about earthworm is mentioned, they might also secrete this mix, and we also dont know if insect attack earthworm or not.

guddo · Answer

Along the mudflats of Garantia, exist two types of annelids: earthworms and lugworms. Earthworms tend to emerge from the mud early in the morning when there is more moisture and nutrients. As a result, earthworms have access to more nutrients and thus reproduce far faster than the lugworm, which spends much of the day submerged in the mud. Nonetheless, the lugworm population far outnumbers that of the earthworm.

Which of the following, if true, helps LEAST to resolve the apparent discrepancy noted above?

Which of the following, if true, helps LEAST to resolve the apparent discrepancy noted above?

The discrepancy is this: earthworms seem to have the advantage because they get more nutrients and reproduce faster, yet lugworms are far more numerous. So the correct answer must be the choice that does the  least  to explain why lugworms still outnumber earthworms.

(A) Lugworms have specialized taste receivers, which allow them to access nutrients below ground far more easily than earthworms can.

This helps resolve the discrepancy. It gives lugworms a nutritional advantage of their own, which could help explain their larger population.

(B) The whooping crane, the earthworm’s chief predator, hunts along the mudflats during the time the earthworms are feeding at the surface.

This helps resolve the discrepancy. Even if earthworms reproduce faster, heavy predation while they are exposed could keep their population low.

(C) Lugworms resemble the color of the mudflat, and are thus more difficult to spot by predators than earthworms are.

This also helps resolve the discrepancy. Better camouflage would improve lugworm survival and help explain why they are more numerous.

(D) Compared to the lugworm, earthworms are able to consume fewer nutrients at one time.

This helps the least. The passage already says earthworms have more access to nutrients overall and reproduce faster. So saying they consume fewer nutrients at one time does not clearly explain why their population is much smaller. It is too weak and too indirect.

(E) Lugworms secrete a mix of enzymes that kills a parasitic insect found on mudflats worldwide, an insect to which many other annelids fall prey.

This helps resolve the discrepancy. It gives lugworms a survival advantage against parasites, which could help them outnumber earthworms.

Answer: (D)

Along the mudflats of Garantia, exist two types of annelids: earthworm

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Along the mudflats of Garantia, exist two types of annelids: earthworm

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