The majority of young, inexperienced Western garter snakes born in the laboratory from mothers captured in coastal areas of California readily eat pieces of slug. What are plausible proximate explanations for this behavior?
a. Coastal snakes that readily eat banana slugs gain most of their calories from this prey species.
b. Coastal snakes can detect odor molecules produced by banana slugs.
c. Coastal snakes have a genetically acquired taste for banana slugs.

c. Coastal snakes have a genetically acquired taste for banana slugs.

Explanation:

The most plausible explanation is that coastal snakes have a genetically acquired taste for banana slugs.

Some traits or abilities are acquired as a result of the interaction of organisms with the environment while some are innate or genetically acquired. While the former are referred to environmentally acquired traits, the latter are referred to as genetically acquired traits.

Genetically acquired abilities are automatically learned and requires no learning or previous experience while environmentally acquired abilities are learned and usually vary with the type of environment.

Hence, for young, inexperienced coastal snakes to readily eat slug, it means such ability is innate and genetically acquired.

The correct option is c.

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