Question

martin dančák, wewin tjiasmanto, and colleagues have identified a new carnivorous plant species (nepenthes pudica) in indonesia. like other carnivorous plants, n. pudica has pitfall traps, or pitchers, that capture prey, but unlike others, the pitchers of n. pudica are located underground. the researchers unearthed the new species on fairly dry ridges with surfaces that host few other plants and animals. therefore, the researchers hypothesize that the n. pudica species likely ______

which choice most logically completes the text?

choose 1 answer:

a is buried by nearby animals as they forage along the ridges for food.

b evolved to have underground traps to access more prey than would surface traps.

c formed pitchers early in development to absorb more moisture.

d represents one of many undiscovered carnivorous plant species in the region.

Explanation:

• Option A: The text says the area has few animals, so being buried by animals foraging is illogical.
• Option B: The plant is in an area with few organisms, and its underground traps (unlike other carnivorous plants’ surface traps) could help it access more prey in that environment, which fits the researchers’ hypothesis about its adaptation.
• Option C: The focus is on prey capture (as it’s a carnivorous plant), not moisture absorption, so this is off - topic.
• Option D: The text is about the characteristics of this discovered species, not about undiscovered species in the region.

Answer:

B. evolved to have underground traps to access more prey than would surface traps.