Among the following land mammals (horse, elephant, camel, rhinoceros), which species has the largest eyes relative to its body size?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Horse

Explanation:


Introduction:
Large eyes can give animals a wider field of view and better vision in low light conditions. This question tests basic zoology knowledge about comparative anatomy in common land mammals such as the horse, elephant, camel and rhinoceros, and asks which of them has the largest eyes relative to its body size.


Given Data / Assumptions:
- The animals listed are horse, elephant, camel and rhinoceros. - We are comparing land mammals, not birds such as the ostrich. - The comparison is about size of the eyes, not overall body size. - The task is simple factual recall from zoology and general knowledge sources.


Concept / Approach:
The key idea is that some mammals have proportionally larger eyes than others to support wide fields of vision and good night or dusk vision. Horses are prey animals that rely heavily on sight to detect predators from a distance, so evolution has favoured very large eyes placed on the sides of the head. Elephants, camels and rhinoceroses also have good vision, but their eyes are smaller relative to their huge body size. General knowledge and zoology references commonly state that horses have the largest eyes of any land mammal.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: List the mammals in the options: horse, elephant, camel and rhinoceros. Step 2: Recall which of these is usually cited in zoology facts for having especially large eyes among land mammals. Step 3: Note that horses, as fast running prey animals, need a wide visual field and therefore have very large eyes. Step 4: Conclude that the horse is recognised as the land mammal with the largest eyes among the given options.


Verification / Alternative check:
A quick cross check with standard general knowledge references and zoology fact lists shows that the horse is consistently listed as the land mammal with the largest eyes. Elephants and rhinoceroses are very large, but their eyes are not especially huge relative to their massive bodies. This supports choosing horse as the correct answer.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Elephant: Very large body size means the eyes appear relatively small, and elephants are not usually cited for exceptional eye size. Camel: Adapted for desert life, but known more for eyelashes and eyelids that protect from sand, not for having the largest eyes. Rhinoceros: Has robust body and thick skin; its eyes are relatively small and do not feature in common records of largest eyes.


Common Pitfalls:
Many learners are tempted to select the elephant or rhinoceros simply because these animals are huge, assuming that a bigger body automatically means bigger eyes. Another mistake is to confuse this with facts about the ostrich, which has some of the largest eyes on land but is a bird, not a mammal. Reading the words land mammals carefully helps avoid this error.


Final Answer:
The land mammal with the largest eyes among the options given is the Horse.

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