Question

Aquatic animals are mostly ammonotelic because (a) Ammonia helps in checking the inflow of water into body. (b) Excretion of ammonia requires large amount of water which is available to these animals. (c) Water contains less nitrogen. (d) These get less light.

Short answer

The correct answer is (b) Excretion of ammonia requires large amount of water which is available to these animals. This is because aquatic animals live in an environment in which there is plenty of water to flush out ammonia, making this type of excretion viable and rationale.

Step-by-step solution

Excretion in Aquatic Animals

Understanding animal excretion is the first step. Aquatic animals, especially aquatic invertebrates and fishes, are mostly ammonotelic. Ammonotelic organisms excrete nitrogenous waste as ammonia. This type of excretion requires a large amount of water to flush out the ammonia, which is harmful even at a very low concentration.

Evaluate the Options

Evaluate each of the provided options based on the understanding of the principles of excretion. \n\n(a) Ammonia helps in checking the inflow of water into body. This statement is not entirely accurate, as the function of ammonia primarily deals with the excretion of nitrogenous wastes.\n\n(b) Excretion of ammonia requires large amount of water which is available to these animals. This matches up with the understanding that ammonia excretion needs plenty of water to eliminate the potentially hazardous substance, which is readily found in an aquatic environment.\n\n(c) Water contains less nitrogen. The nitrogen content of water does not explain why aquatic animals are ammonotelic.\n\n(d) These get less light. Quantity of light doesn't affect the type of excretion.

Conclusion

After understanding the process of excretion in aquatic animals and evaluating the given choices, option (b) stands out as the most accurate and justifiable answer.

Key concepts

Aquatic Animals

Aquatic animals, such as fish and other invertebrates living in water, have developed unique adaptations to their watery environment. Unlike terrestrial creatures, aquatic animals have access to an abundance of water. This allows them to adopt different mechanisms for survival, particularly in the context of excretion. Among these mechanisms, the process known as ammonotelism is particularly common. Ammonotelism involves excreting ammonia, a type of nitrogenous waste that is extremely soluble in water. This adaptation is suited for life in water where excess ammonia can be rapidly diluted and carried away, reducing its toxicity in the animal's body. Many aquatic animals thus depend on their surrounding water for efficient waste management. The surrounding environment not only supports life but also aids in essential processes like excretion.

Nitrogenous Waste

Nitrogenous waste is a byproduct produced from the metabolism of proteins and nucleic acids in animals. These wastes are harmful to animals at certain concentrations and must be effectively removed from the body to maintain homeostasis. In the animal kingdom, the most common forms of nitrogenous waste are ammonia, urea, and uric acid. However, these compounds differ significantly in their solubility, toxicity, and the energy required for their production and excretion.

• Ammonia: Ammonia is highly soluble in water and extremely toxic in high concentrations. It requires a large volume of water for its excretion, which makes it ideal for aquatic animals who have constant access to water.
• Urea: Less toxic and requires less water than ammonia, urea is excreted by many terrestrial animals and some aquatic species.
• Uric Acid: This form is the least toxic and is excreted as a paste with minimal water loss. It is common in birds and reptiles.

Each form of nitrogenous waste represents an animal's adaptation to its environment, chiefly influencing how water is utilized in the body.

Excretion Processes

Excretion is a vital biological process causing the removal of metabolic wastes from the body. It is crucial for maintaining a stable internal environment and for preventing toxic build-up of waste products. In aquatic animals, the process of excreting nitrogenous wastes typically occurs through their gills or skin.
Ammonotelism, commonly seen in aquatic animals, leverages the high solubility of ammonia in water to effectively eliminate it from the body. This is an efficient system when the animal is surrounded by water because the ammonia can diffuse directly from the blood into the water, where it gets diluted rapidly.

• Ammonia production is directly linked to the protein catabolism – breaking down proteins into amino acids – inside the animal’s body.
• The main advantage of excreting ammonia is the low energy cost compared to converting ammonia into urea or uric acid.
• However, the disadvantage is the necessity for a large volume of water, which is not feasible for terrestrial animals.

In simple terms, different excretion processes in animals reflect their adaptations to their specific habitats, optimizing for energy efficiency and conservation of water.