Prelims 2019 · Q28
EasyConsider the following statements:
- 1.Some species of turtles are herbivores.
- 2.Some species of fish are herbivores.
- 3.Some species of marine mammals are herbivores.
- 4.Some species of snakes are viviparous.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
All four statements are correct. The word 'some' in each only requires that at least one species fits, and each has a well-known example: the green turtle, the grass carp, the dugong and the sea snakes.
- ✓ 1. The green turtle is a herbivore, eating mostly seaweed, seagrasses and algae.
- ✓ 2. Many fish are plant eaters; the grass carp, for example, is a basically herbivorous fish that feeds on aquatic weeds.
- ✓ 3. The dugong (sea cow) is a marine mammal that depends largely on seagrass for food.
- ✓ 4. Viviparous means the young develop inside the mother and are born alive. Sea snakes such as the dusky sea snake do this, and so do boas and many vipers.
Remember · 'Some species' statements are usually true: herbivorous green turtle, grass carp and dugong; viviparous sea snakes.
Sources
- NOAA Fisheries: Green Turtle ↗ “They are unique among sea turtles in that they are herbivores, eating mostly seaweed, seagrasses, and algae.”
- FAO Cultured Aquatic Species Fact Sheets: Grass carp ↗ “It is a basically herbivorous fish that naturally feeds on certain aquatic weeds.”
- UNEP/CMS Dugong MoU: Dugong Facts ↗ “The dugong is the only marine herbivorous mammal, depending largely on seagrass for food.”
- NOAA Fisheries: Dusky Sea Snake ↗ “The dusky sea snake is viviparous, which means embryos develop internally and young undergo live birth.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2019, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·