During a field trip, an instructor touched a moth resting on a tree trunk. The moth raised its forewings to reveal large eyespots on its hind wings. The instructor asked the students why the moth lifted its wings. One student answered that sensory receptors had fired and triggered a neuronal reflex culminating in the contraction of certain muscles. A second student responded that the behavior might frighten predators. Which of the following best characterizes these hypotheses?
A) The first explanation is correct, but the second is incorrect.
B) The first explanation refers to proximate causation, whereas the second refers to ultimate causation.
C) The first explanation is testable as a scientific hypothesis, whereas the second is not.
D) Both explanations are reasonable and simply represent a difference of opinion.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The first explanation addresses the immediate, mechanistic cause of the moth's behavior (proximate causation), such as the sensory and neural mechanisms involved. The second explanation considers the evolutionary significance or advantage of the behavior (ultimate causation), suggesting it may serve to deter predators.

During a Field Trip, an Instructor Touched a Moth Resting