1. Which of the following animals exhibit eusocial behavior?
- a) Lions
- b) Ants
- c) Wolves
- d) Elephants
Answer: b) Ants
Explanation: Ants are classic examples of eusocial animals, where individuals live in highly organized colonies with a division of labor, including workers, queens, and drones.
2. What is the primary characteristic of eusociality?
- a) Solitary living
- b) Reproductive division of labor
- c) Territorial defense
- d) Migratory behavior
Answer: b) Reproductive division of labor
Explanation: Eusociality is characterized by a division of labor, where only a few individuals reproduce while others perform tasks like caring for young, foraging, and defending the colony.
3. Which insect is considered the most well-known eusocial species?
- a) Butterfly
- b) Honeybee
- c) Dragonfly
- d) Grasshopper
Answer: b) Honeybee
Explanation: Honeybees are one of the most well-known examples of eusocial insects, with a colony structure consisting of a queen, workers, and drones.
4. In eusocial insect colonies, which role do worker ants play?
- a) Reproduce and care for young
- b) Defend the colony and forage for food
- c) Lay eggs
- d) Migrate to new colonies
Answer: b) Defend the colony and forage for food
Explanation: Worker ants are non-reproductive individuals who contribute to colony maintenance by foraging, defending, and caring for offspring.
5. What determines the caste system in eusocial insects like ants and bees?
- a) Age of the individual
- b) Genetic makeup and diet
- c) Environmental factors
- d) Social rank within the colony
Answer: b) Genetic makeup and diet
Explanation: The caste system in eusocial insects is determined by the larvae’s diet and genetic makeup, leading to differentiation into queens, workers, or drones.
6. Which of the following is a feature of eusocial societies?
- a) All members can reproduce
- b) There is one reproductive female
- c) Only males reproduce
- d) The colony is made up of a single species
Answer: b) There is one reproductive female
Explanation: In eusocial colonies, only one reproductive female (queen) reproduces, while other individuals perform non-reproductive tasks.
7. Which animal is known for its eusocial structure and cooperative care of young, along with a complex communication system?
- a) Chimpanzees
- b) Termites
- c) Gorillas
- d) Orangutans
Answer: b) Termites
Explanation: Termites have a highly organized eusocial structure with cooperative brood care, division of labor, and a complex communication system based on pheromones.
8. Which of the following is an example of eusocial behavior in mammals?
- a) Elephants
- b) Meerkats
- c) Lions
- d) Humans
Answer: b) Meerkats
Explanation: Meerkats are one of the few mammals exhibiting eusocial behavior, with a division of labor in foraging, guarding, and caring for the young.
9. Which of these eusocial insects is known for their ability to form highly organized hives with specific roles for workers, drones, and queens?
- a) Wasps
- b) Honeybees
- c) Termites
- d) Ants
Answer: b) Honeybees
Explanation: Honeybees have highly organized colonies, with distinct roles for the queen, workers, and drones, making them a prime example of eusociality.
10. What is a primary advantage of eusocial behavior in animals?
- a) Decreased food competition
- b) Increased reproductive success of the colony
- c) Increased individual mobility
- d) Reduced risk of predation
Answer: b) Increased reproductive success of the colony
Explanation: Eusocial behavior helps increase reproductive success by having a specialized reproductive member (queen) and non-reproductive workers supporting the colony’s survival.
11. Which of the following is true about queen bees in eusocial colonies?
- a) They perform all colony duties
- b) They lay eggs but do not care for young
- c) They only defend the colony
- d) They are typically male
Answer: b) They lay eggs but do not care for young
Explanation: The queen bee’s primary role is reproduction, laying eggs for the colony, while worker bees and drones take care of other colony duties.
12. What is the role of drone bees in eusocial colonies?
- a) Forage for food
- b) Defend the hive
- c) Reproduce with the queen
- d) Care for larvae
Answer: c) Reproduce with the queen
Explanation: Drone bees’ main function is to mate with the queen during the breeding season, ensuring genetic diversity in the hive.
13. Which is a key feature of eusocial termites?
- a) Solitary living and migration
- b) A caste system with specialized workers and soldiers
- c) Only males reproduce
- d) A lack of communication
Answer: b) A caste system with specialized workers and soldiers
Explanation: Termites exhibit a highly organized caste system, with specialized workers, soldiers, and reproductive members contributing to the colony’s success.
14. Which animal has been observed to exhibit eusocial behavior in the wild, with cooperative brood care and division of labor?
- a) African wild dogs
- b) Honeybees
- c) Polar bears
- d) Wolves
Answer: a) African wild dogs
Explanation: African wild dogs display eusocial behavior through cooperative care of pups, with non-breeding individuals helping in the hunt and care for the young.
15. What is one disadvantage of eusociality in animals?
- a) Increased energy expenditure
- b) High risk of colony collapse due to external threats
- c) Reduced genetic diversity
- d) Increased mortality among workers
Answer: b) High risk of colony collapse due to external threats
Explanation: Eusocial colonies are vulnerable to external threats, such as predation or disease, and the collapse of the colony can lead to the loss of a significant portion of the population.
16. How do honeybees communicate with each other?
- a) Through sound only
- b) Through visual cues
- c) Through pheromones and the “waggle dance”
- d) Through body language
Answer: c) Through pheromones and the “waggle dance”
Explanation: Honeybees use pheromones for communication and the “waggle dance” to inform other workers about the location of food sources.
17. Which of the following describes the relationship between worker and queen bees?
- a) Workers help the queen reproduce
- b) Workers and queens both reproduce
- c) Workers serve the queen but do not reproduce
- d) Workers are more dominant than the queen
Answer: c) Workers serve the queen but do not reproduce
Explanation: In bee colonies, workers are non-reproductive individuals whose primary function is to serve the queen, collect food, and care for the brood.
18. Which term is used to describe the evolutionary theory that explains why eusocial behavior occurs?
- a) Kin selection
- b) Sexual selection
- c) Natural selection
- d) Artificial selection
Answer: a) Kin selection
Explanation: Kin selection explains that eusocial behavior occurs because individuals assist in the survival of closely related kin, increasing their inclusive fitness.
19. What is the primary role of soldier ants in a eusocial colony?
- a) Lay eggs
- b) Defend the colony from predators
- c) Forage for food
- d) Care for the young
Answer: b) Defend the colony from predators
Explanation: Soldier ants are responsible for defending the colony from predators and other threats, protecting the reproductive individuals and workers.
20. Which of the following is NOT an example of eusociality?
- a) Honeybees
- b) Termites
- c) Wolves
- d) Naked mole-rats
Answer: c) Wolves
Explanation: Wolves exhibit social behavior but are not eusocial, as they do not have a strict reproductive division of labor like honeybees or termites.
21. What is the typical lifespan of a queen honeybee?
- a) 1-2 months
- b) 6-12 months
- c) 1-2 years
- d) Several years
Answer: d) Several years
Explanation: Queen honeybees can live several years, while worker bees and drones have much shorter lifespans, typically only a few weeks to months.
22. Which statement about eusocial insects is false?
- a) Only a few individuals reproduce
- b) Workers perform specialized tasks
- c) The colony is dependent on a single queen for reproduction
- d) Every individual has an equal reproductive role
Answer: d) Every individual has an equal reproductive role
Explanation: In eusocial colonies, reproduction is not equal among individuals; only one female (queen) reproduces, while others work or defend.
23. How do ants communicate and coordinate tasks within a colony?
- a) Through vocalizations
- b) Through pheromones and tactile signals
- c) Through complex dances
- d) Through visual signals
Answer: b) Through pheromones and tactile signals
Explanation: Ants use pheromones to communicate, marking trails and signaling other ants to perform specific tasks.
24. Which of the following eusocial animals has the most complex communication system?
- a) Ants
- b) Honeybees
- c) Termites
- d) Naked mole-rats
Answer: b) Honeybees
Explanation: Honeybees have one of the most sophisticated communication systems in the animal kingdom, using pheromones and dances to convey information.
25. Which of the following is an example of cooperative care of offspring in a eusocial system?
- a) Lion pride care
- b) Wolf pack care
- c) Worker bees caring for larvae
- d) Elephant herds caring for calves
Answer: c) Worker bees caring for larvae
Explanation: In honeybee colonies, worker bees cooperate in the care of the queen’s larvae, feeding them and keeping them protected until they mature.
26. What is a unique characteristic of naked mole-rats in their eusocial colonies?
- a) They are solitary and territorial
- b) They share food equally among all colony members
- c) Only one female reproduces, and other females assist her
- d) All colony members reproduce
Answer: c) Only one female reproduces, and other females assist her
Explanation: In naked mole-rat colonies, only one queen reproduces, while other females help with her care and maintain the colony.
27. In the context of eusociality, what is an example of “inclusive fitness”?
- a) Workers who protect the queen’s offspring increase their genetic success
- b) Drones that fly long distances contribute to colony stability
- c) Worker ants that forage for food benefit their own survival
- d) Reproductive ants protect the colony from predators
Answer: a) Workers who protect the queen’s offspring increase their genetic success
Explanation: Inclusive fitness refers to the idea that individuals increase their genetic success by helping relatives reproduce.
28. Why are eusocial insects often considered more successful in survival?
- a) They have fewer natural predators
- b) Their high reproductive rate leads to fast population growth
- c) They cooperate to ensure colony survival and defense
- d) Their isolated lifestyle reduces competition
Answer: c) They cooperate to ensure colony survival and defense
Explanation: Eusocial insects cooperate in all aspects of colony life, including defense and resource sharing, which enhances their survival and reproduction rates.
29. What triggers the formation of new colonies in eusocial ants?
- a) Birth of a new queen
- b) Excess food supply
- c) Seasonal temperature changes
- d) Colony death
Answer: a) Birth of a new queen
Explanation: New colonies are often formed when a new queen emerges, and workers leave the parent colony to establish a new nest.
30. Which of the following is NOT a benefit of eusociality in animals?
- a) Enhanced cooperative care of offspring
- b) Greater reproductive success for individuals
- c) Increased defense against predators
- d) Increased genetic diversity in the colony
Answer: d) Increased genetic diversity in the colony
Explanation: Eusociality may reduce genetic diversity within a colony as it often relies on close kin selection, and only a few individuals reproduce.
