What may be a photosynthesis protistian to one biologist may be a plan...
The correct answer is (C) slime moulds have cellulosic spore wall. Slime moulds are protists that have some features in common with plants, such as the presence of diverse sexual reproduction and the formation of fruiting bodies. However, the feature that links them most closely to plants is the presence of cellulosic spore walls, which are not found in other protists.
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What may be a photosynthesis protistian to one biologist may be a plan...
Linkage between Slime Moulds and Plants
Presence of Holozoic Nutrition
- Slime moulds are protists that are heterotrophic, meaning they obtain their nutrition by ingesting organic matter.
- This is different from plants, which are autotrophic and carry out photosynthesis to produce their own food.
- Therefore, the presence of holozoic nutrition in slime moulds indicates that they are not plants.
Presence of Diverse Sexual Reproduction
- Slime moulds have a variety of sexual reproduction methods, including fusion of haploid cells, fusion of diploid cells, and plasmogamy.
- This is similar to plants, which also have diverse sexual reproduction strategies.
- However, the presence of diverse sexual reproduction alone is not enough to link slime moulds with plants.
Slime Moulds have Cellulosic Spore Wall
- One key feature that links slime moulds with plants is the composition of their spore wall.
- Both slime moulds and plants have spores with a cellulosic wall, which is not found in other protists such as amoebas or ciliates.
- This suggests a common evolutionary history between slime moulds and plants.
Formation of Fruiting Bodies
- Another feature that links slime moulds with plants is the formation of fruiting bodies.
- In plants, fruiting bodies are structures that contain seeds and facilitate dispersal.
- In slime moulds, fruiting bodies are structures that contain spores and facilitate dispersal.
- This suggests a convergent evolution between slime moulds and plants, where similar structures evolved in different lineages for similar functions.
Conclusion
- While features such as diverse sexual reproduction may be present in both slime moulds and plants, the presence of a cellulosic spore wall and the formation of fruiting bodies are key features that link slime moulds with plants.
- These features suggest a common evolutionary history and convergent evolution, respectively, between these two groups of organisms.
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