Which one of the following statements is correct?

Options

A. All the individuals of a species have exactly the same life span
B. Smaller organisms always have shorter life span and vice versa
C. Life span of an organism is the time period from its birth to its natural death
D. No organism many have a life span of several hundred years

Answer

To determine which statement is correct regarding the lifespan of organisms, let's analyze each option step by step.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Lifespan**:
- Lifespan refers to the duration of time from an organism's birth until its natural death. This definition is crucial for evaluating the statements provided.

2. **Evaluating Statement A**:
- Statement A claims that "all individuals of a species have exactly the same lifespan."
- This statement is incorrect because individuals within a species can have varying lifespans due to genetic, environmental, and health factors. For example, humans have an average lifespan of around 79 years, but some may live shorter or longer lives.

3. **Evaluating Statement B**:
- Statement B states that "smaller individuals have shorter lifespans and vice versa."
- This statement is also incorrect. For instance, a parrot (a smaller individual) can live up to 45 years, while a dog (a larger individual) typically lives only 12 to 18 years. This contradicts the claim that smaller individuals always have shorter lifespans.

4. **Evaluating Statement C**:
- Statement C asserts that "the lifespan of an organism is the time period from its birth to natural death."
- This statement is correct as it aligns with the definition of lifespan we discussed earlier. It accurately describes what lifespan means.

5. **Evaluating Statement D**:
- Statement D claims that "no organism may have a lifespan of several hundred years."
- This statement is incorrect. Certain organisms, such as the Banyan tree and the Peepal tree, can live for several hundred to over a thousand years. Thus, this statement is false.

6. **Conclusion**:
- After evaluating all statements, we find that Statement C is the only correct statement regarding the lifespan of organisms.

### Final Answer:
The correct statement is **C: The lifespan of an organism is the time period from its birth to natural death.**

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