Consider the following pairs : 1. Blue-finned Mahseer : Cauvery River 2. Irrawaddy Dolphin : Chambal River 3. Rusty-spotted Cat : Eastern Ghats Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

States that Irrawaddy Dolphins are found in brackish waters of Odisha, distinguishing their habitat from strictly freshwater rivers.

A student could use a map to note that Chambal is an inland freshwater river system (not brackish) and thus is less likely to host a species described as brackish-water–associated here.

Identifies the National Chambal Sanctuary and explicitly notes it is 'known for the endangered Gangetic Dolphin'.

Combine this with knowledge that Gangetic dolphins are freshwater specialists to infer Chambal's dolphin records concern freshwater species, not brackish specialists like Irrawaddy.

Explains a category of 'obligate freshwater dolphins' (Ganges, Indus, Baiji, Boto) that live only in rivers/lakes, contrasting them with marine/brackish-ranging dolphins.

Use this rule to classify whether a given river (Chambal) would host an 'obligate freshwater' species versus a brackish/marine-associated species like Irrawaddy.

Notes the Ganges River Dolphin occurs in the Ganga/Brahmaputra and lists the limited global set of obligate freshwater dolphins, implying freshwater rivers in India are typically inhabited by Ganges/Indus types.

A student could check that Chambal, as a tributary/river in central India, fits the freshwater-river category and so is more likely linked to Ganges-type dolphins than Irrawaddy.

Gives a distribution pattern: freshwater/river dolphins in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan split into Ganges and Indus species.

Combine this distribution rule with the known range of Irrawaddy (brackish/coastal in snippet 1) to question whether Irrawaddy would occur in an inland river like the Chambal.

Lists Peninsular India including Western and Eastern Ghats as centres of floral endemism, indicating the Eastern Ghats are a recognised biogeographic unit with distinct species assemblages.

A student could use this to ask whether the rusty‑spotted cat (known from Peninsular India) is recorded among species associated with Eastern Ghats endemism by checking regional faunal lists or range maps.

Gives a concrete example of a small mammal (Large Rock Rat) known to be endemic and recorded only from the Eastern Ghats, showing the region can host range‑restricted small mammals.

One could compare the ecological requirements and body size/habitat of the rusty‑spotted cat with that rodent to assess plausibility of the cat occurring in similar Eastern Ghats habitats and then check occurrence records.

Describes the Eastern Ghats as lower, broken hills along the east coast separated from Western Ghats by the Deccan Plateau, indicating potential geographic discontinuity in habitat.

A student could use maps to judge whether disjunct mountain terrain and river systems would support continuous distribution from known populations (e.g., Western Ghats) into the Eastern Ghats or make occurrence less likely.

Identifies specific hill ranges and peak (Mahendragiri) of the Eastern Ghats, providing geographic anchors for searching records or habitat types suitable for small wild cats.

Use these named locations on a map to target museum/local survey records, camera‑trap studies, or literature for any documented sightings of the rusty‑spotted cat in those Eastern Ghats localities.

Mentions distribution in Western Ghats and north‑east India for a tropical rainforest context, illustrating that some species in peninsular/NE India have patchy distributions rather than continuous ranges.

Apply this pattern (patchy distribution across disjunct forest regions) to reason that the rusty‑spotted cat might similarly have scattered populations; then check whether the Eastern Ghats form one such patch by consulting species range maps or surveys.