Final answer:
The distinctive event in plant cell mitosis compared to animal cell mitosis is the method of cytokinesis, where animal cells form a cleavage furrow via an actin ring, and plant cells form a new cell wall through a cell plate.
Step-by-step explanation:
The event which distinguishes mitosis in plant cells from mitosis in animal cells is the process of cytokinesis, specifically how the two new daughter cells are separated.
During cytokinesis in animal cells, a structure known as the actin (or contractile) ring causes the plasma membrane to constrict and forms a cleavage furrow, which pinches the cell into two separate cells. In contrast, plant cells construct a cell plate at the site of division, which develops into a new cell wall that divides the parent cell into two daughter cells.
Additionally, plant and animal cells have some distinct cellular structures that play roles in cell division.
While both have microtubule organizing centers (MTOCs), animal cells also have centrioles associated with the MTOC, forming a centrosome. In contrast, plant cells lack centrioles and feature a cell wall, chloroplasts, and a large central vacuole, which animal cells do not have.