Question

A recent study of the marine hawksbill turtle's stomach contents revealed that sponges constitute a major portion of their diet. Sponge beds are generally protected from predators by the sponge's calcium and silica crystals, but these were found in quantity in the turtles' digestive systems. These structures that protect the sponges from most predators, but not turtles, are Select one: a. amoebocytes. b. the osculum. c. choanocytes. d. spicules. e. spongin.

Answer 1

d. Spicules

Step-by-step explanation:

1. Hawksbills turtles are found mainly in tropical oceans, i.e. in coral reefs. Sponges are found in abundance in these regions.
2. They got narrow & pointed beaks which help them to extract the sponges from reefs crevices.
3. They help in maintaining a balance in the marine ecosystems by feeding on these sponges and in return to it the health of coral reefs as well as of sea grass beds is enhanced.