If Mayflies Lay Eggs on Roads Instead of in Water

Question

If mayflies lay eggs on roads instead of in water, it would indicate which of the following?
A) a defective gene
B) trial-and-error learning
C) a misdirected response to a sign stimulus
D) a natural behavioral variation in the mayfly population
E) aberrant behavior due to insecticide poisoning

Accepted Answer

Mayflies laying eggs on roads instead of water would be a misdirected response to the sign stimulus, indicating that the mayflies are responding to a stimuli (in this case, the reflective surface of the road) that is not actually the appropriate cue for egg-laying behavior. This misdirected response could be due to a variety of factors, such as changes in the environment or habitat, but it would not typically be a result of a defective gene or insecticide poisoning. Trial-and-error learning and natural behavioral variation may play a role in mayfly egg-laying behavior, but a misdirected response to sign stimulus is the most likely explanation for this phenomenon.