Answer to Question #58968 in Cell Biology for tracy guido

Question #58968

What is the primary benefit for an animal to excrete nitrogenous waste as uric acid?
Uric acid requires less energy to synthesize than urea.
Uric acid is highly toxic to predators.
Uric acid increases efficiency of kidney function.
Uric acid improves gastric absorption of nucleic acids.
Uric acid helps an animal to conserve water.

The kidney of a given land animal has particularly short loops of Henle. Predict the type of environment in which this animal lives.
a. temperate forest
b. arid mountain range
c. desert
d. wetland

Expert's answer

1) Uric acid helps an animal to conserve water.
2) d) wetland