Question

Male pufferfish are known to create circular-patterned nests in the sand to attract a mate. To create the nest, the male pufferfish spends seven to nine days flapping its fins close to the seafloor to move the sand, pushing the finest sand particles into the center. Once the nest is nearly done, the male will decorate the nest by adding pieces of dead coral and seashells, indicating that the nest is ready to receive females. If a female is impressed with the male's nest, she will lay eggs in the middle of the nest.

The table shows data on five observed nests and the probability of mating.

Nest Diameter (feet) Volume of Fine Sand in Center (cm3) Probability of Mating on Same Day as Nest Completion
5.2 321 60%
5.8 344 68%
6.5 352 74%
6.8 358 80%
7.0 360 84%

Use the drop-down menus to make a claim about pufferfish mating.

Pufferfish that make Query 1
nests with a Query 2
volume of fine sand have a better chance of reproducing successfully because they will Query 3
.
smaller
larger
lower
higher
attract a mate sooner
scare away competition

Answer 1

Pufferfish that make **larger** nests with a **higher** volume of fine sand have a better chance of reproducing successfully because they will **attract a mate sooner**.