Species: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Environment and Ecology)

Explanation

Peacock Tarantula Overview Scientific Name: Poecilotheria metallica, also Gooty tarantula. Status: Critically Endangered, IUCN Red List. Description: Arboreal spider, Theraphosidae family (Arachnida, Araneae), known for vibrant metallic blue coloration. Habitat: Endemic to <100 sq km of deciduous forests in Andhra Pradesh (Nandyal, Giddalur, Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve) and Tamil Nadu (Pakkamalai Reserve Forests, Villupuram, Tirumala foothills). Threats: Habitat loss from deforestation, logging, firewood harvesting, and illegal pet trade. Protection: CITES Appendix II (2019) bans export without permits. Diet and Behavior:

Carnivorous, feeds on flying insects (moths, crickets) and occasionally small vertebrates (mice, small birds). Photosensitive, flees bright light, may bite if provoked with medically significant venom causing pain, nausea, dizziness (no fatalities). Constructs asymmetric funnel webs in tree holes. Spiderlings start terrestrial, transition to arboreal.

Statement I is incorrect: The Peacock tarantula is an arachnid (class Arachnida, order Araneae, family Theraphosidae), not a crustacean (class Crustacea, e.g., crabs, shrimp).

Statement II is correct: Is endemic to a small area (<100 sq km) of deciduous forests in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Statement III is correct: Poecilotheria metallica is an arboreal spider, living in tree holes and constructing asymmetric funnel webs to capture flying insects.

Explanation

Many animals are predators, parasites or parasitoids, using other animals as food. They use a great diversity of hunting strategies and behaviours to capture or feed on their prey. Invertebrate predators, parasites and parasitoids play an important role in keeping many animal populations under control. Parasitoid is an insect whose larvae feed and develop within or on the bodies of other arthropods. Each parasitoid larva develops on a single individual and eventually kills that host. Most parasitoids are wasps, but some flies and a small number of beetles (carabid beetles), moths, lacewings, and even one caddisfly species have evolved to be parasitoids. Parasitoids alone number about 68,000 named species, and most have yet to be named and described. Predator: They are organisms that capture and eat another (the prey). This act is called predation. The predatory invertebrates include scorpions, centipedes, predatory mites, predatory snails and slugs, nematodes and planarian worms. Detritivores: Termites are detritivores that eat dead and decaying organic matter like logs of wood in a forest. They form an important link in the cycling of nutrients in the forests by breaking down wood and organic residues on the ground

Explanation

The banyan fig tree Ficus microcarpa is famous for its aerial roots, which sprout from branches and eventually reach the soil. Aerial roots are roots above the ground that are found in diverse plant species like mangroves, banyan figs and orchids. The tree also has a unique relationship with a wasp that has co-evolved with it and is the only insect that can pollinate it. Figs are known to sustain at least 1,200 bird and mammal species. Fig trees were among the earliest domesticated crops and appear as sacred symbols in Hinduism, Buddhism and other spiritual traditions.

Explanation

Butterflies: Hybrid Heliconius butterflies are poisonous in nature. In nature, these butterflies are rare. Heliconius melpomene and Heliconius cydno are both highly poisonous, having evolved to produce their own cyanide, and predators have learned exactly what both of these toxic insects look like. Fish: "Venomous" fish are those that can inject their toxic venom into victims, whereas "poisonous" fish are those that cause toxic symptoms only if they are eaten. For example: Lionfish, red-bel-lied piranha etc. Frogs: Frogs are amphibians which can survive both on land and water. Some of them can be poisonous also. Poison dart frogs are small, brightly colored amphibians that live on tropical rainforest floors across Central and South America. Poison dart frogs are named for the toxins they secrete from their skin, which have traditionally been used to tips of hunters’ weapons. For example, the Embera and Noanama Indigenous people in western Colombia have used the skin of golden poison frogs (Phyllobates terribilis) to tip blowgun darts for hundreds of years.

Explanation

Pair 1 is incorrectly matched: The Indri is endemic to the island country of Madagascar, specifically inhabiting the eastern rainforests. The unique geographical features and climate of Madagascar have facilitated the evolution of numerous species found nowhere else on Earth, including the Indri.

Pair 2 is incorrectly matched: Elk is the largest and most advanced subspecies of red deer, found in North America and in the high mountains of Central Asia. It is a member of the deer family. Recent genetic studies suggest that the "red deer" may have three species:

European red deer.

Tibetan-West Chinese red deer.

Elk.

Pair 3 is incorrectly matched: Bonobos and chimpanzees look very similar and both share 98.7% of their DNA with humans--making the two species our closest living relatives. Bonobos are usually a bit smaller, leaner, and darker than chimpanzees. They are found only in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Their discontinuous range extends from the Lualaba River in the east to the Kasai/Sankuru Rivers in the south and as far as the Congo River in the west and around Lake Tumba/Lake Mai-Ndombe.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Both males and females of the lions are polygamous and breed throughout the year, but females are usually restricted to one or two adult males of their pride. In captivity, lions often breed every year, but in the wild, they usually breed no more than once in two years. Females are receptive to mating for three or four days within a widely variable reproductive cycle.

Statement 2 is correct: There are four big cats that can roar: lion, tiger, leopard and jaguar - all of which belong to the genus Panthera. In these species, the epihyal bone, part of the voice box, is replaced by a ligament. This can be stretched, creating a larger sound-producing passage and thus a wider range of pitch. The bones of the cheetah’s voice box form a fixed structure, with divided vocal cords that vibrate with both in and out breaths. This structure is the same for all the ’small’ cats. While this design enables these cats to purr continuously, it limits the range of other sounds and prevents them from being able to roar.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Leopards are known for their solitary nature and impressive hunting abilities. They are skilled predators that primarily hunt at night, using their incredible agility and stealth to catch a variety of prey. Leopards are considered opportunistic hunters, adapting and targeting different species based on availability and their specific habitat. To avoid competition and conflicts, leopards establish their own territories, marking them with scent and claw marks on trees. Male leopards will fiercely defend their territories if they overlap with other males.

Explanation

The Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) is a global network of scientific and policy experts on invasive species, organised under the auspices of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The ISSG fosters and enables the worldwide exchange of knowledge and information concerning invasive species. It also ensures the linkage between knowledge, practice, and policy to ensure that decisions are based on well-informed insights.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Mushrooms possess antibacterial properties, enhance the immune system, and aid in lowering cholesterol levels. Moreover, they serve as significant reservoirs of bioactive compounds. Consequently, certain mushroom extracts are utilised to support human health and are available in the form of dietary supplements.

Statement 2 is correct: Psychoactive properties refer to substances that influence brain function, resulting in alterations in mood, awareness, cognition, emotions, or behaviour. Psilocybin is a hallucinogenic compound found in specific mushrooms commonly known as magic mushrooms.

Statement 3 is correct: In recent times, there has been a growing discovery of insecticidal compounds within mushrooms.

Statement 4 is correct: Bioluminescence refers to the generation and release of light by living organisms. Panellus stipticus stands out as one of the most luminous bioluminescent mushrooms found on our planet. The newly discovered species, designated as Roridomyces phyllostachydis found in Meghalaya, now joins the ranks of the 97 recognised types of bioluminescent fungi world- wide.

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect: Indian squirrels, such as the Indian Palm Squirrel, do not burrow in the ground to build nests. Instead, they construct nests in trees, crevices, or other elevated areas using materials like leaves and twigs. Burrow-making is more characteristic of rodents like rats or ground squirrels, which are not typical Indian squirrels.

Statement 2 is correct: Nuts serve as the primary food source for these creatures year-round, especially during the winter months when they are preparing for hibernation. They store nuts by burying them underground, enabling retrieval during the win-ter season.

Statement 3 is correct: Squirrels are omnivores. Their diet primarily consists of nuts and fruits, although they will also consume seeds, insects, small mammals, reptiles, eggs, and occasionally even bird chicks.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Guchhi mushroom is a species of fungus in the family Morchellaceae of the Ascomycota. They are prized for their unique, honeycomb-like appearance.

Statement 2 is correct: It is grown in the foothills of Himalayas mostly in the temperate forests of Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, and Jammu and Kashmir.

Statement 3 is incorrect: These mushrooms cannot be cultivated commercially due to their specific growth conditions. Found in conifer forests of temperate regions, they grow only in high mountain areas after the snow melts and are harvested wild by local communities.