One of the most peculiar living creatures known to biologists

Question

One of the most peculiar living creatures known to biologists is the bdelloid rotifer. This microscopic creature has a host of properties, from the surprising to the truly bizarre. Bdelloid rotifers can live in any type of freshwater, from hot springs near the Dead Sea to partially frozen ponds on Antarctica. These creatures are surprisingly resilient; when their watery homes freeze up or dry out, the rotifers enter into a state of suspended animation. When in this state, rotifers can withstand temperatures as low as one degree above absolute zero, the temperature of the void of space, for over an hour. The suspended rotifers are picked up by wind currents and are blown about the globe. When they land in a suitable home, the rotifers re-animate and return to their primary business–eating bacteria and producing new rotifers. The rotifers reproduce so rapidly that a single organism could fill a medium-sized lake with its descendants in about two months.

Strangely, there are no male bdelloid rotifers. Or if there are, biologists have never discovered them. There are over five hundred species of bdelloid rotifers and not one of them has any male members. As may be expected, there is little variation in the rotifer genome. Biologists have found that certain genes may differ in individual rotifers by as much as 30 percent. From this variation and the known rate of mutation in the rotifer genome, biologists conclude that the rotifers gave up sex between 40 and 80 million years ago.

Strangely, there are no male bdelloid rotifers. Or if there are, biologists have never discovered them. There are over five hundred species of bdelloid rotifers and not one of them has any male members. As may be expected, there is little variation in the rotifer genome. Biologists have found that certain genes may differ in individual rotifers by as much as 30 percent. From this variation and the known rate of mutation in the rotifer genome, biologists conclude that the rotifers gave up sex between 40 and 80 million years ago.   1 
 1. The passage implies which of the following about male rotifers?

A. There have never been male rotifers.
B. Male rotifers, if discovered, would have more variation in their genome than do females.
C. It is possible that male rotifers exist.
D. Male rotifers existed 40 million years ago.
E. Male rotifers have a higher rate of mutation than females do.

2 
 2. According to the passage, a rotifer might be found in all of the following locations EXCEPT

A. a thermal pool
B. outer space
C. the atmosphere
D. a dried up puddle
E. an iceberg

3 
 3. The passage implies which of the following about the state of suspended animation used by the rotifers?

A. Rotifers are oblivious to their outside surroundings when in the state of suspended animation.
B. A rotifer in a state of suspended animation can survive indefinitely.
C. Rotifers do not enter a state of suspended animation unless their homes freeze up or dry out.
D. Rotifers enter the state of suspended animation when they want to move to a more desirable habitat.
E. Rotifers in a state of suspended animation have some ability to sense the conditions of the environment around them.

RC Butler 2023  -  Practice Two RC Passages Everyday.   
Passage # 266 Date: 04 Aug-2023
 This question is part of RC Butler 2023 .  Click here for Details

GunjanMishra · Answer

Answer for question no. 3:

A. and B are out because firs passage clearly specifies how Rotifers are aware of their surroundings to be able to detect their suitable surroundings to reanimate, and second nothing has been mentioned about how long can they last in the suspended state.

C. Is already mentioned in the paragraph, hence can not be implied.

D. Is wrong because it is not upto Rotifers will to enter the state of suspended animation when they want. It is more of a circumstantial survival move.

And we are left with E, which is right because of their ability to reanimate when they sense the suitable environment.
E. Rotifers in a state of suspended animation have some ability to sense the conditions of the environment around them.

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simran01 · Answer

Can someone please explain ques1

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

1. The passage implies which of the following about male rotifers?

Explanation

The passage mentions that there are no male bdelloid rotifers, but it also includes the phrase  "Or if there are, biologists have never discovered them."  This statement implies that while male rotifers have not been found, the possibility of their existence is not ruled out. The passage does not definitively state whether male rotifers exist or not; it leaves the door open for the possibility that they might exist but have not been discovered yet.

Options A, B, D,  and  E  are not directly supported by the information in the passage:

Option A  is contradicted by the passage itself, which mentions the possibility of male rotifers but their lack of discovery.

Option B  is not mentioned in the passage, and there's no information to suggest that male rotifers, if discovered, would have more genome variation than females.

Option D  is not supported by the passage's timeline, as it states that rotifers gave up sex between 40 and 80 million years ago, but it doesn't specifically state that male rotifers existed exactly 40 million years ago.

Option E  is not mentioned in the passage, and there's no information about the rate of mutation in male rotifers compared to females.

In summary, the passage implies that it's possible that male rotifers exist, given the statement about the lack of discovery of male members among bdelloid rotifer species.

Answer: C

utkarsh0211 · Answer

Sajjad1994 
Can you help with q2 ? It is mentioned partially frozen ponds in the passage but not iceberg.Plus,it is mentioned they can exist till 1C aboev absolute zero.

One of the most peculiar living creatures known to biologists

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One of the most peculiar living creatures known to biologists

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