less和lesser的区别在哪里？及大全943的结构

1.                  With a total population of less than two hundred and fewer breeding females than ever before, the American crocodile seemed a decade ago to be in danger of disappearing.

(A) of less than two hundred and fewer

(B) lower than two hundred and less

(C) lesser than two hundred and fewer

(D) fewer than two hundred and less （A）

(E) of fewer than two hundred and of fewer

如本题，C用了lesser。之前有讨论说因为population 不应与females平行，所以C不对。但我觉得是因为“population of  数字”是一个固定搭配，所以population和females是可以平行的。比如接下来的大全943可以例证。

943。  With total sales of less than three hundred thousand dollars and fewer new subscribers than last year, the New England Theatre Company is in danger of losing its building.

(A) of less than three hundred thousand dollars and fewer

(B) lower than three hundred thousand dollars and less

(C) lesser than three hundred thousand dollars and fewer

(D) fewer than three hundred thousand dollars and less（A）

(E) of fewer than three hundred thousand dollars and of fewer

但我一直弄不清楚less和lesser作为比较级的用法差异。

以及本题的结构，是否：（sales of less than........) 与( fewer new subscribers than last year)平行，都是with的宾语？

请教！

less is for comparision of numbers,

lesser has a broader scope, i.e., it can mean something other than numbers.

正确选项是什么？less than,more than 不是固定搭配吗？

lesser是不是只能表示指代的情况下用呢？

说得不对别砸我~~~

A is correct