Question

Match List I with List II
List I:
A. Raptorial legs
B. Pollen carrying legs
C. Cursorial legs
D. Fossorial legs
List II:
I. Cockroaches
II. Mantids
III. Mole crickets
IV. Honey bee
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. A-I, B-II, C-III, D-IV
• B. A-II, B-I, C-IV, D-III
• C. A-II, B-IV, C-I, D-III
• D. A-I, B-II, C-IV, D-III

Hint:

To remember leg types: Cursorial is for running (cockroaches), Fossorial is for digging (mole crickets), Raptorial is for grasping (mantids), and Corbiculate is for pollen collection (bees).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The thoracic legs of insects consist of five primary segments (coxa, trochanter, femur, tibia, and tarsus).
These legs are modified into different functional types to suit various ecological niches, such as running, jumping, digging, swimming, or grasping prey.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze the functional modifications of insect legs:
1. Raptorial legs (A): These legs are modified for grasping and holding prey.
They feature a highly elongated coxa, and the femur and tibia are armed with spines that close together like a pocket knife.
This predatory modification is found in the forelegs of Mantids (II).
Therefore, A matches with II.
2. Pollen carrying legs (B): These legs are modified for collecting and transporting pollen.
The hind tibia of worker bees is flattened and lined with stiff hairs, forming a smooth, concave structure called a pollen basket (corbicula).
This modification is found in the Honey bee (IV).
Therefore, B matches with IV.
3. Cursorial legs (C): These legs are modified for running.
The segments are long, slender, and symmetrical, allowing for rapid movement over flat ground.
This locomotor modification is typical of active runners like Cockroaches (I).
Therefore, C matches with I.
4. Fossorial legs (D): These legs are modified for digging.
The femur and tibia are shortened, flattened, and widened, with heavy, finger-like projections (digitate claws) used to scoop and excavate soil.
This subterranean modification is found in the forelegs of Mole crickets (III).
Therefore, D matches with III.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Combining these functional modifications yields the sequence: A-II, B-IV, C-I, D-III.