Some desert beetles can survive on ''metabolic water'' without ever drinking liquid water which

Options

A. Was produced as water in the organisms they eat
B. Is absorbed from the air alongwith respiratory oxygen
C. Is a breakdown product of pyruvate inside the mitochondria alongwith `CO_(2)`
D. Is a breakdown product from glycolysis in the cytoplasm.

Answer

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Metabolic Water**:
- Metabolic water is the water produced internally in an organism as a byproduct of metabolic processes. It is particularly important for organisms in arid environments where liquid water is scarce.

2. **Metabolic Processes**:
- The primary metabolic process that generates metabolic water is the oxidation of glucose. When glucose is metabolized through various pathways, including glycolysis, the Krebs cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation, water is produced as a byproduct.

3. **Analyzing the Options**:
- **Option A**: "Produced as water in the organisms they eat" - This is incorrect because metabolic water is generated within the organism itself, not from the food it consumes.
- **Option B**: "Absorbed from the air along with respiratory oxygen" - This is also incorrect as metabolic water is not absorbed from the air; it is produced internally.
- **Option C**: "Breakdown product of pyruvate inside the mitochondria along with carbon dioxide" - This is correct. Pyruvate, after glycolysis, enters the mitochondria where it undergoes further oxidation, resulting in the production of water and carbon dioxide.
- **Option D**: "Breakdown product from glycolysis in the cytoplasm" - This is incorrect because glycolysis alone does not produce water; it is only the first step in the complete oxidation of glucose.

4. **Conclusion**:
- The correct answer is that metabolic water is a breakdown product of pyruvate inside the mitochondria along with carbon dioxide.