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The selection of the option that states an Authoritative Server (SOA) maintains and manages records for a namespace effectively captures its primary function within DNS (Domain Name System) operations. The SOA record contains important information about the domain and its zones, including the primary name server, the email of the domain administrator, the domain serial number, and various timing and expiration parameters.

This management entails keeping track of all the DNS records such as A records (which map domain names to IP addresses), MX records (for mail exchange), and others pertinent to the domain's operational structure. As the authoritatively defined source of information for a given namespace, the SOA record signifies that the server is responsible for all the DNS information for that domain or zone, implying that it is the definitive source concerning that namespace’s data, rather than simply replicating or resolving it.

The other options touch on various principles of how DNS functions, but they do not accurately describe the specific responsibilities of an Authoritative Server. Mapping IP addresses to hostnames refers to the general function of DNS in resolving names, which is broader than the specific role of an Authoritative Server. Similarly, while replicating and distributing zone records is a function of some DNS servers (like secondary servers