Final answer:
Two species can coexist in the same habitat without food competition by occupying different ecological niches, which means utilizing different resources or areas of the habitat for food. So the correcct option is C.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is about how two species of animals that look similar can live in the same habitat without competing for food. The most likely reason for this lack of competition is that they occupy different ecological niches. An ecological niche involves not just the physical space that an organism occupies but its role in the ecosystem, including its interactions with other species and its use of resources. Even if two species live in the same location and have a similar appearance, they can avoid competition by utilizing different areas of the habitat for food, or by eating different types of food, thereby occupying different ecological niches.
In contrast, if two species occupy the same ecological niche, they will compete for resources, which could result in one species becoming predominant while the other one could become locally extinct, as per the competitive exclusion principle. This principle essentially states that two species competing for the same resources cannot stably coexist if other ecological factors are constant.