Q.34 Given below are two statements :
Statement I :
Parental care increases the chances of offspring survival but requires large energy expenditure.
Statement II :
In amphibians, females of the genus Pipa carry eggs on their head in cephalic hooks.
In the light of the above statements, choose the
correct answer from the options given below :
- Both Statement I and Statement II are true
- Both Statement I and Statement II are false
- Statement I is true but Statement II is false
- Statement I is false but Statement II is true
Statement I is true but Statement II is false.
Parental care universally boosts offspring survival rates across species despite its high energy costs to parents, while the Pipa genus amphibian actually embeds eggs in dorsal skin pockets rather than carrying them on head hooks.
Statement Analysis
Statement I holds true in evolutionary biology: parental care enhances offspring fitness (protection from predators, better nutrition) but demands significant parental energy investment, often reducing future reproduction or survival.
Statement II is incorrect: Pipa (Surinam toad) females have eggs fertilized externally then manually pressed into specialized dorsal skin pockets that form brooding pouches—not cephalic (head) hooks.
Option Breakdown
Option Verdict Reason Both true False Statement II wrong about Pipa egg location Both false False Statement I biologically accurate I true, II false Correct Matches evidence: care costly but beneficial; Pipa uses back pouches I false, II true False I correct; II wrong Introduction to Parental Care Offspring Survival Energy Expenditure
Parental care increases the chances of offspring survival but requires large energy expenditure—this core evolutionary trade-off drives diverse caregiving strategies. Statement I correctly captures this benefit-cost dynamic, while Statement II misstates Pipa genus amphibians egg-carrying: females embed eggs in back skin, not cephalic hooks. Essential for NEET, CSIR NET, GATE Life Sciences exams.
Parental Care: Benefits vs Energy Costs
Parental care increases the chances of offspring survival through protection, feeding, and thermoregulation. Birds incubate eggs; mammals nurse young—higher investment yields fitter offspring.
Yet it requires large energy expenditure: parents forage less, risk predation, lose mating chances. Theory predicts care evolves when benefits exceed costs.
Pipa Genus Amphibians: Correct Egg Brooding
Pipa (Surinam toad) exemplifies amphibian parental care—but not on heads. Females press fertilized eggs into dorsal skin pockets that swell into pouches. Embryos develop 3-4 months; toadlets emerge fully formed.
No cephalic hooks exist; this confuses Pipa with other carriers like Gastrotheca (marsupial frogs). Statement II false.
Exam Strategy: Statement Questions
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Statement I true: Universal principle; memorize benefit-cost model.
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Statement II false: Recall Pipa’s unique dorsal brooding.
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Answer: I true, II false—perfect for assertion-reason MCQs.
Master parental care offspring survival energy expenditure dynamics and amphibian diversity for competitive exams.
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