Question

A rattlesnake belongs to which of the following components of ecosystem?

• A. Tertiary consumer and a heterotroph
• B. Secondary consumer and an autotroph
• C. Producer and an autotroph
• D. Producer and a heterotroph
• E. Primary consumer and a heterotroph

Answer 1

Answer: (A)

Tertiary consumer and a heterotroph

Rattlesnake feed on rodents (secondary consumers) which in turn derive their nutrition from insects (primary consumers) and insects feed on plants (producers). This makes rattlesnake a tertiary consumer. Since it depends on available carbon compounds for food and energy and can not carry out photosynthesis, it is a heterotroph. Thus, the correct answer is option A.