Consider the following statements regarding the Aardvark: It is a noct...
Statement 1: It is a nocturnal mammal which shares common ancestors with elephants.
The first statement is incorrect. The Aardvark is not closely related to elephants. It belongs to a distinct mammalian order called Tubulidentata, which includes only one species, the Aardvark. Elephants, on the other hand, belong to the order Proboscidea. While both the Aardvark and elephants are mammals, they do not share a common ancestor.
Statement 2: It is mainly found in the semi-arid region of the Arabian Peninsula.
The second statement is also incorrect. The Aardvark is not found in the Arabian Peninsula. It is primarily native to sub-Saharan Africa, inhabiting a range of habitats including savannas, grasslands, and woodlands. It is well-adapted to arid and semi-arid environments, but its distribution is not limited to the Arabian Peninsula.
Conclusion:
Neither of the statements is correct. The Aardvark is not related to elephants and it is not found in the semi-arid region of the Arabian Peninsula. Therefore, the correct answer is option D, "Neither 1 nor 2".
Consider the following statements regarding the Aardvark: It is a noct...
A recent study from Oregon State University found that a warming climate is negatively impacting the chances of long-term survival of aardvarks in sub-Saharan Africa.
- It gets its name from a South African word meaning “earth pig.”
- Appearance: They look like a pig, especially with its body and snout.
- They actually share common ancestors with elephants and golden moles.
- They are nocturnal mammals, most active at night and tend to live alone. During the day, they sleep curled up in a ball in their burrows.
- This species has been assessed as having the highest score for evolutionary distinctiveness,
- This is because it does not have many close relatives and has been evolving independently for millions of years.
- The Aardvark is the sole surviving species of its order, Tubulidentata, and its closest relatives have been extinct since the Pleistocene era (2 million years ago).
- Diet: The aardvark’s diet consists almost entirely of ants and termites.
- Habitat: Aardvarks are found over much of the southern two-thirds of Africa and their habitat is savannah and semiarid areas.
- Ecosystem Roles: Aardvarks are important in their ecosystem because the holes they dig are used by a variety of other animals for shelter.
- Conservation Status
- IUCN :Least Concern
- The recent study concluded that the genetic structure of aardvarks is strongly shaped by climate, with arid areas limiting gene flow and reflected apparent isolation by adaptation associated with temperature.
Hence only statement 1 is correct.
To make sure you are not studying endlessly, EduRev has designed UPSC study material, with Structured Courses, Videos, & Test Series. Plus get personalized analysis, doubt solving and improvement plans to achieve a great score in UPSC.