The mark test is a standard assessment of self-awareness in animals. In this test, a colored mark is placed on the body of the subject in a location that can only be seen when the subject views itself in a mirror. If the subject subsequently examines and reacts to the marked location on its body, it is considered to exhibit self-awareness. Researcher Masanori Kohda selected fish and randomly applied blue, green, or brown off on rocks in the wild. After introducing a mirror into the fish tank, Kohda observed the fish's behavior and concluded that the fish exhibited self-awareness. Which observation from the study, i if true, would most directly support Kohda's conclusion? A. The fish with no dots were more often ob. observed scraping their throats on a rock after looking in the mirror than were any of the three other groups. B. The only fish that were observed scraping their throats on a rock after viewing themselves in a mirror were the ones with the brown dots. C. The fish with the green dots viewed their throats in the mirror more often than the fish with the blue dots. D. The fish with dots viewed themselves in the mirror more often than the unmarked fish,regardless of the dot's color.

The answer is **B. The only fish that were observed scraping their throats on a rock after viewing themselves in the mirror were the ones with the brown dots.**<br /><br />Here's why:<br /><br />* **The Mark Test:** The mark test is designed to see if an animal recognizes itself in a mirror. The key is that the animal must interact with the mark on its body, suggesting it understands the mark is on *itself*.<br />* **Option B's Significance:** Option B states that *only* the fish with brown dots interacted with the mark (by scraping their throats). This directly supports the idea that these fish recognized the mark as being on their own bodies. <br /><br />Let's look at why the other options are less supportive:<br /><br />* **Option A:** This doesn't directly relate to the mark test. While scraping the throat might be a behavior, it doesn't necessarily indicate self-awareness.<br />* **Option C:** This focuses on how often fish looked in the mirror, not whether they interacted with the mark. Looking in the mirror doesn't prove self-awareness.<br />* **Option D:** This suggests that fish with dots looked in the mirror more often, but doesn't tell us if they interacted with the mark. This is not a strong indicator of self-awareness.<br /><br />**In conclusion, Option B provides the most direct evidence that the fish with brown dots exhibited self-awareness by recognizing the mark on their bodies.** <br />