The diet of Heliothis subjlexa caterpillars consists entirely of fruit

Question

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

Which one of the following can be properly inferred from the statements above?

(A)  H. subflexa  caterpillars synthesize linolenic acid within their bodies.

(B) Most species of caterpillar have sources of linolenic acid in their diets.

(C) Any caterpillar that has linolenic acid in its diet has volicitin in its saliva.

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

(E) No caterpillars other than  H. subflexa  eat fruit from plants of the genus  Physalis .

Source: LSAT

shashankism · Answer

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.

nkmungila · Answer

It is said that " many insects other than H. subflexa" needs linolenic acid -> Linolenic acid in an insect's diet is also necessary for the production of a chemical called volicitin
So it can be inferred as 
Most species of caterpillar have sources of linolenic acid in their diets

Answer is B

chesstitans · Answer

this LSAT question is not difficult, and test takers who look for questions to practice can find this question helpful.
B and D are left.
B is much better than D b/c B connects with "maturation and growth" while D concerns with the poisonous food.

gmatexam439 · Answer

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

Which one of the following can be properly inferred from the statements above?

(A)  H. subflexa  caterpillars synthesize linolenic acid within their bodies. - Can't say

(B) Most species of caterpillar have sources of linolenic acid in their diets. - Correct. Since the source of volicitin is linolenic acid, most caterpillars must be having linolenic acid in their diet.

(C) Any caterpillar that has linolenic acid in its diet has volicitin in its saliva. - Extreme. Just because most caterpillar generate volicin in their saliva doesn't mean that all caterpillars will generate volicin 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 . - can't say

sssanskaar · Answer

Straight B.

unraveled · Answer

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

Which one of the following can be properly inferred from the statements above?

(A)  H. subflexa  caterpillars  synthesize linolenic acid  within their bodies. - WRONG. Nowhere it is said nor suggested in the passage. Since Hs does not have V then synthesizing is out of question.

(B)  Most  species of caterpillar  have sources of linolenic acid in their diets . - CORRECT. Aligns with blue text in the passage.

(C)  Any  caterpillar that has linolenic acid in its diet has volicitin in its saliva. - WRONG. No any caterpillar. It's too open to claim that.

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

(E)  No  caterpillars other than  H. subflexa  eat fruit from plants of the genus  Physalis . - WRONG. Not necessarily true.

Answer B.

Advait01 · Answer

(B) Most species of caterpillar have sources of linolenic acid in their diets. -Correct. Since the source of volicitin is linolenic acid, most caterpillars must be having linolenic acid in their diet.

Adit_ · Answer

D is actually irrelevant. No mention of poisonous, hence ruled out. 
B and C are actually close, however C is also ruled out because it is a correlation of this leads to that, but it any correlation its not 100% true that "that ALSO leads to this"

Hence B is the answer.

The diet of Heliothis subjlexa caterpillars consists entirely of fruit

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The diet of Heliothis subjlexa caterpillars consists entirely of fruit

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