Question

A graduate student finds an organism in a pond and thinks it is a freshwater sponge. A professor thinks it looks more like an aquatic fungus. How can they decide whether it is an animal or a fungus?

Answer 1

By the structure of their cell wall

Step-by-step explanation:

Fungus cell contain cell wall with a chitin in it. That differs them from animal cell that doesn't have cell wall, but also differs them from plant cell wall which contains cellulose.

Fungus is a eukaryotic kingdom which contains microorganisms such as yeasts and molds, but also macroscopic forms such as mushrooms.

Fungus are heterotrophic organisms, often decomposers with high biodiversity.