A study determined that when minnows (a small type of fish that frequently swim around in schools) are bitten by predatory fish, they release a chemical substances that is detected by other minnows in the school and causes them to swim away from the injured minnow. Which of the following scenarios would be consistent with the hypothesis that the release of the alarm substance is altruistic?
The alarm substance attracts other predators to the school, making it more likely that other minnows in the school will get eaten.
The alarm substance attracts other predators to the injured minnow; however, the escape of the injured minnow is actually facilitated by the additional predators, who interfere with each other's ability to swallow the injured minnow as they are fighting amongst themselves.
The alarm substance attracts other predators to the injured minnow some of which may be large enough to eat the original predator, rather than the injured minnow.
The alarm substance attracts other predators to the injured minnow, ensuring his or her own demise, but also facilitating the escape of the other minnows in the school.
