Question

Which of the following is a reason that a healthy snake would undergo ecdysis?

Option 1: To escape predators
Option 2: To regulate body temperature
Option 3: To replace damaged or old skin
Option 4: To hibernate

Answer 1

A healthy snake undergoes ecdysis in order to replace damaged or old skin. This is a critical part of their growth process and helps maintain good skin health, which is not directly connected to temperature regulation or predator avoidance.

Step-by-step explanation:

The healthy snake undergoes ecdysis, or shedding of the skin, primarily to replace damaged or old skin. This is a natural process necessary for the snake's growth and for maintaining skin health, which becomes worn and may carry parasites such as mites and ticks. The correct option is Option 3: To replace damaged or old skin.

While ectothermic animals do regulate their body temperature by behaviorally seeking warmer or cooler environments, such as basking on rocks or moving to shaded areas, this is distinct from the process of ecdysis. Additionally, ecdysis is not a strategy for escaping predators nor for hibernation. Instead, it ensures that the snake can grow and remain healthy by removing an old integument and making way for new, larger skin.

The mentioned desert lizard strategies for temperature regulation and predator avoidance are relevant examples of how ectothermic animals behave in their environment but do not directly relate to snakes undergoing ecdysis. In the context of the snake, the primary reason for molting is the replacement of its skin rather than behavioral temperature regulation or responses like estivating or hibernating.