Meerkats are small desert mammals that live in groups of 20-50 individuals. Which behavior would you categorize as examples of reciprocal altruism if you saw them while observing a group of meerkats? Two meerkats take turns grooming each other, each spending about the same amount of time grooming the other. One meerkat stands in the sun, while a second spends time digging out the burrow. One meerkat spends time sleeping in the burrow after eating, while other meerkats forage for food.

Question

Biology

Sylvia

20 March, 15:45

Meerkats are small desert mammals that live in groups of 20-50 individuals. Which behavior would you categorize as examples of reciprocal altruism if you saw them while observing a group of meerkats? Two meerkats take turns grooming each other, each spending about the same amount of time grooming the other. One meerkat stands in the sun, while a second spends time digging out the burrow. One meerkat spends time sleeping in the burrow after eating, while other meerkats forage for food.

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Answers (1)

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Beau · Answer 1

The correct answer is "Two meerkats take turns grooming each other, each spending about the same amount of time grooming the other".

Explanation:

In biology, reciprocal altruism is defined as a behavior of some species at which an organism acts in benefit of the other, expecting that the benefited organism will act accordingly returning the favor. Two meerkats taking turns grooming each other, each spending about the same amount of time grooming the other is an example of reciprocal altruism. In this case, the benefited meerkat is the one being groomed, and later acts reciprocally by taking turns with the other.