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Lucilia cuprina, the sheep blowfly, lays its eggs in wounds and the wet fleece of sheep - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 23 - 2008 - Paper 1
Question 23
Lucilia cuprina, the sheep blowfly, lays its eggs in wounds and the wet fleece of sheep. The larvae hatch and burrow into the sheep's skin, causing distress, reduced... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Lucilia cuprina, the sheep blowfly, lays its eggs in wounds and the wet fleece of sheep - VCE - SSCE Biology - Question 23 - 2008 - Paper 1
Step 1
a chance mutation in a blowfly gene conferring a survival advantage in the chemical environment.
Answer
The increased resistance in Lucilia cuprina is most likely caused by a chance mutation that allows certain individuals of the blowfly population to survive when exposed to the chemicals. This mutation can confer a survival advantage, allowing these resistant individuals to reproduce and pass on their genes to the next generation. Over time, this leads to a greater proportion of the population that carries the mutation, resulting in increased resistance to the insecticides.