Topic 7 Study questions

1. What are the disadvantages of sexual reproduction and why does it likely persist despite
these disadvantages? (4 marks)

2. What is courtship behaviour and what purpose(s) does it serve? (3 marks)

3. True or false? Broadcast spawners, such as corals, produce large numbers of small eggs to
overcome the problems associated with dispersion of the eggs in the environment.
Explain your answer.

4. Seahorses may be unique because…

A. they exhibit ovoviviparity
B. parental care is provided by the male seahorse
C. specialised structures for parental care are found in the male seahorse
D. they exhibit internal fertilisation
E. All of the above

5. The egg of a hummingbird weighs about 0.3 g, while that of the now-extinct elephant bird of
Madagascar weighed about 10 kg. In comparing a hummingbird egg to an elephant-bird egg,
which of the following must be true?
A. Dehydration will be more of a problem for the elephant-bird egg than for the
hummingbird egg.
B. The hummingbird parents must limit time away from incubating the eggs to avoid
decreases in egg temperature.
C. Maintaining sufficient respiratory gas exchange as the embryo develops is likely to be
more of a problem for the hummingbird egg than for the elephant-bird egg.
D. The eggs of elephant birds and hummingbirds will have equal shell thickness-to-mass
ratios.
E. Insufficient information was provided to determine which of A, B, C or D is true.

6. Distinguish between ovoviviparity and viviparity. (2 marks)

7. A cornerstone theme of BIO 2135 has been the importance of the environment in
determining animal form and function. Discuss the importance of the environment in driving
differences in sexual reproduction between terrestrial and aquatic animals. (6 marks)