5. Information in the passage indicates that if adult hosts and juvenile hosts of the same species had the same surface area, which of the following would most likely also be true?
Answer: C
The adult hosts, on average, would have approximately the same number of parasites as the juvenile hosts.
The passage indicates that although parasites were more abundant on adult hosts than on smaller juveniles, they were not more dense when adjusted for surface area. This suggests that if both adult and juvenile hosts had the same surface area, they would likely have approximately the same number of parasites.
A) The adult hosts, on average, would have more parasites than the juvenile hosts.
This option is incorrect because the passage clarifies that while adult hosts had a higher abundance of parasites, this did not result in a higher density when accounting for surface area. Therefore, it cannot be concluded that adults would have more parasites than juveniles under the specified condition of equal surface area.
B) The adult hosts would, on average, have fewer parasites than the juvenile hosts.
This option is also incorrect. The passage suggests that adult hosts had a greater abundance of parasites compared to juveniles. Therefore, stating that adults would have fewer parasites contradicts the information provided about parasite abundance.
C) The adult hosts, on average, would have approximately the same number of parasites as the juvenile hosts.
This option is correct. The text indicates that adjusting for surface area showed no significant differences in parasite density between adult and juvenile hosts, implying that they would have approximately the same number of parasites if their surface area were equal.
D) The adult hosts, on average, would be less likely to survive than the juvenile hosts.
This statement is incorrect as the passage notes that the survival probability for adults was not affected by parasitism, while parasitized juveniles had lower survival rates. Thus, adults cannot be considered less likely to survive based on the context provided.
E) The adult hosts, on average, would be more likely to survive than the juvenile hosts.
This option is misleading. Although the passage indicates that adults were not affected by parasitism in terms of survival probability, it does not directly state that they are more likely to survive than juveniles. Therefore, this option does not align with the findings presented.
Conclusion
In summary, the correct answer is that adult hosts would have approximately the same number of parasites as juvenile hosts when surface area is equal, as indicated by the study's findings. All other options fail to accurately represent the relationship between host age and parasite presence as described in the passage.