How does a marine iguana maintain homeostasis despite ingesting large amounts of salt with its food? (1 point)
• Marine iguanas sneeze excess salt out of their bodies.
• Marine iguanas pass large amounts of salt through their urine.
• Marine iguanas sweat a lot to get rid of the extra salt.
• Marine iguanas throw up large amounts of salt.
• Marine iguanas pass large amounts of salt through their urine.
Marine iguanas maintain homeostasis despite ingesting large amounts of salt with their food by sneezing excess salt out of their bodies.
The correct answer is marine iguanas sneeze excess salt out of their bodies. To explain why, we need to understand the unique adaptation of marine iguanas to their environment.
Marine iguanas live on the Galapagos Islands, where their primary food source is marine algae. However, these algae contain a high amount of salt, which can be harmful if accumulated in the iguanas' bodies.
To prevent excessive salt buildup, marine iguanas have developed special adaptations. They have a unique gland in their nasal passages called the "salt gland." This gland allows marine iguanas to excrete excess salt from their bodies.
Here's how it works: When marine iguanas ingest algae and consume excessive salt, the salt is absorbed into their bloodstream. The blood then circulates through the salt glands, where the excess salt is extracted. The salt is then secreted by the gland and funneled into the nasal passages.
Finally, the marine iguanas expel the excess salt by forcefully sneezing it out of their nostrils. These sneezing episodes can be quite dramatic, with salt spraying from their nostrils several feet away. This sneezing behavior helps the marine iguanas maintain homeostasis by regulating their salt levels.
In summary, marine iguanas maintain homeostasis despite ingesting large amounts of salt with their food by using their specialized salt glands to excrete excess salt through sneezing.