Neff and Sherman (2003) demonstrated that male bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) that spawn when sneaker males are present display lower levels of egg defense than control males. In addition, parental males that had 1/3 of their eggs swapped with those of another parental male decreased their level of egg defense more than controls. Together these results indicate that sunfish adjust their level of care depending on
A) certainty of paternity.
B) gender of the offspring.
C) life span of the individuals.
D) all of the above.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The results indicate that sunfish adjust their level of care based on the certainty of paternity, as demonstrated by their reduced egg defense in the presence of sneaker males and when their eggs were swapped with another male's eggs.

Neff and Sherman (2003) Demonstrated That Male Bluegill Sunfish (Lepomis