What does "precocial" mean in biology?
Q: What does "precocial" mean in biology?
A: "Precocial" refers to a developmental strategy in species where the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching.
Q: Which types of animals does "precocial" mainly apply to?
A: "Precocial" mainly applies to mammals and birds.
Q: What is the opposite developmental strategy to "precocial"?
A: The opposite developmental strategy to "precocial" is "altricial", where the young are born or hatched helpless.
Q: Are there any species that fall exclusively into one category, "precocial" or "altricial"?
A: No, all degrees exist in birds and mammals.
Q: What different strategies have evolved for invertebrates whose eggs are tiny?
A: For invertebrates whose eggs are tiny, many use some kind of metamorphosis where different stages of growth occupy different environmental niches.
Q: Do all animals follow either the "precocial" or the "altricial" developmental strategy?
A: No, different strategies have evolved for different species, especially for invertebrates whose eggs are tiny.
Q: Can an animal be both "precocial" and "altricial" at different stages of its life cycle?
A: No, an animal cannot be both "precocial" and "altricial" at different stages of its life cycle as they are mutually exclusive developmental strategies.
