Question

The colonial flagellate hypothesis states that animals descended from a hollow spherical colony of flagellated cells. Place the probable steps in the order which this would occur.

O A few flagellated cells form an aggregate.
O The colony of aggregated cells forms a hollow sphere.
O Individual cells become specialized for reproduction.
O Infolding of certain cells creates tissue layers

Answer 1

The colonial flagellate hypothesis suggests that multicellular life evolved from a hollow spherical colony of flagellated cells, with organisms like Volvox and choanoflagellates supporting this theory.

Step-by-step explanation:

Colonial Flagellate Hypothesis and Multicellularity

The colonial flagellate hypothesis proposes a series of events that would likely lead to the development of multicellular organisms from a hollow spherical colony of flagellated cells. This process could follow certain steps:

A few flagellated cells form an aggregate.

The colony of aggregated cells forms a hollow sphere.

Infolding of certain cells begins to create tissue layers.

Individual cells become specialized for reproduction.

Organisms like Volvox, a colonial alga, demonstrate the intermediate state between single-celled and multicellular life, providing support for this hypothesis. In Volvox colonies, cellular differentiation is evident, with certain cells specializing in tasks such as reproduction, while still maintaining a simple structure overall.

Choanoflagellates, the closest living relatives of animals, also show similar characteristics with their collar cells, hinting at the evolutionary path taken by early animal ancestors.