Which question reflects a hypothesis about vampire bat mothers?

The question about whether vampire bats could recognize their young by scent reflects a hypothesis because it poses a specific, testable idea regarding maternal behavior in these bats. A hypothesis is an educated guess that can be investigated through observation and experimentation, allowing researchers to explore the underlying mechanisms of a behavior or trait.

In this case, the recognition of offspring through scent is a behavior that can be studied through experimentation, such as observing how bat mothers respond to their young compared to unfamiliar scents. This makes it possible to gather data and draw conclusions, supporting or refuting the hypothesis. This is in contrast to the other questions, which either focus on descriptive or observational aspects of behavior rather than testing a specific hypothesis. For example, questions about hunting methods, food preferences, or social behavior in roosting do not inherently suggest a predictive or testable outcome related to maternal behavior.