Question

The characters such as pointed elongated snout, strong and stout forelimbs, and well-developed claws are observed in -------- adaptation.
A. Arboreal
B. Aerial
C. Cursorial
D. Fossorial

Answer 1

Hint: Adaptation is an evolved trait through which the organism is capable of surviving in its habitat or environment. An adaptive trait is a feature of the developmental pattern of the species that facilitates or increases the likelihood that the organism can exist and reproduce.

Complete answer: The adjustment of organisms to the subterranean atmosphere by the anatomical and physiological alteration is recognized as fossorial adaptation. Animals who mine the soil for their food are considered to be the first step towards the fossorial adaptation type. They mine the soil by snout or tusk, e.g. elephant, pig, etc. Besides that, there is just a slight fossorial adaptation that could be noted. In elephants, the whole modification of the skull is a digging tool. Other sets of animals just dig for retreats but seek out their food above the ground. These would be the next types whose limbs appear shorter and have no drastic alteration, e.g. fox, mongoose, etc. The last few groups of animals dig for retreats and have their food under the ground. These have extreme changes in fossorial adaptation life, e.g., Talpa sp., Rattus, etc.
So, the correct option is (D).

Note: In fossorial adaptation, animals modify the environment by constructing a subterranean zone by the mining of its own. Adaptive changes are often created both by actions of the climate and by the animals themselves. Physical adjustment of fossorial is widely recognised as common among many ancient phyla and taxa, such as bacteria and early eukaryotes.