Question

The pop-up question at the end of this level asks whether an animal or a plant is more closely related to a fungus. Why is the correct answer likely surprising to many people?

Answer 1

It may look that fungi are more related to plants compared to animals but the actual fact is quite different and opposite. The molecular phylogenetic analysis is known for an excellent tool to find out the correct evolutionary history and ancestor of organisms. So, with the help of this analysis, we can find that fungi are more related to animals compared to plants. Some similarities between animals and fungi are given below:

1) Animals and fungi both need energy from the sunlight for their survival and are unable to use that light for food production it means that they are heterotrophs in nature.

2) Animals and fungi both are eukaryotes that mean they have proper membrane-bounded organelles.

3) Both do not contain chlorophylls in their cells as a photosynthetic pigment.