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Polyphenisms

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Name/UIN_______________________________________
BIOS 236/Animal BehaviorSpring 2024
Polyphenismscannibalistic salamanders
DUE Thursday, February 8
th
at 11:59pm
22 pts.
Read the following article, Proximate causes of cannibalistic polyphenism in larval tiger
salamanders, by Hoffman and Pfennig. Ecology, 80(3), 1999, pp. 10761080. Answer the
questions below. Homework must be typed and submitted via blackboard as a word
document or PDF.
1. In your own words, what is a polyphenism? (2 pts.)
Polyphenism occurs when a single genotype responds to many environmental factors
throughout development to produce multiple unique phenotypes.
2. IN GENERAL, why might polyphenisms be important in a population? (2 pts.)
Since polyphenisms enable individuals to adapt to a variety of environmental situations, they
can be vital for a population's overall survival and fitness. The population's resistance to
shifting environmental stressors may be strengthened by this adaptability.
3. What is the advantage of being a cannibal? (2 pts.)
Being a cannibal may have advantages like as easier access to food supplies, particularly in
environments with little availability of food. Cannibalism has the ability to enhance the
growth and survival of cannibalistic individuals by diminishing competition for resources
among the population.
4. What 4 questions did the authors address about cannibalistic salamanders? (4 pts.)
(1) What sensory cues trigger expression of cannibals?
(2) Does larval age influence expression of cannibals?
(3) Are cannibals produced when crowded with heterospecific salamander larvae?
(4) Do cannibal morph larvae suppress other larvae from developing into cannibals?
5. Larvae of what age are more likely to become cannibals? (2 pts.)
Younger larvae were significantly more likely to develop into cannibals.
6. What role does size play in the development of cannibal morphs? (2 pts.)
The development of cannibal morphs can be stimulated when there is a higher variation in
larval size distribution. This cannibalism is facilitated by the greater disparities in size.

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Name/UIN_______________________________________ BIOS 236/Animal Behavior—Spring 2024 Polyphenisms—cannibalistic salamanders DUE Thursday, February 8th at 11:59pm 22 pts. Read the following article, Proximate causes of cannibalistic polyphenism in larval tiger salamanders, by Hoffman and Pfennig. Ecology, 80(3), 1999, pp. 1076–1080. Answer the questions below. Homework must be typed and submitted via blackboard as a word document or PDF. 1. In your own words, what is a polyphenism? (2 pts.) Polyphenism occurs when a single genotype responds to many environmental factors throughout develo ...
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