A porcupine pokes its predators with the help of its quills. What type of defense is this?

• A. Chemical defense
• B. Mechanical defense
• C. Camouflage
• D. Mimicry

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of animal defenses: Animals use various strategies to protect themselves from predators, which can include mechanical defenses, chemical defenses, camouflage, and mimicry.
2. Define mechanical defense: Mechanical defenses involve physical structures or adaptations that help an organism deter predators, such as quills, spines, shells, or tough skin.
3. Analyze the porcupine's quills: Quills are sharp, rigid structures that physically harm or deter predators when they come into contact with them. This is a clear example of a mechanical defense.
4. Compare with other defense types: Chemical defenses involve the use of toxins or irritants (e.g., poison dart frogs), camouflage involves blending into the environment to avoid detection, and mimicry involves resembling another organism to confuse predators. None of these apply to the porcupine's quills.
5. Conclude that the correct answer is mechanical defense: Based on the physical nature of the quills and their role in deterring predators, the porcupine's defense mechanism is classified as mechanical defense.