Fungi were once classified as plants, yet it is now known that animals are more closely related to them. They were eventually given their own kingdom as new information was discovered about their differences. What similarities do fungi share with animals?

Question

Biology

Aditya Valentine

11 December, 14:16

Fungi were once classified as plants, yet it is now known that animals are more closely related to them. They were eventually given their own kingdom as new information was discovered about their differences. What similarities do fungi share with animals?

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Bradyn Kramer · Answer 1

At one time, fungi were believed to come under the category of plants as like plants they possess tough cell walls and develop from the soil. However, they are now considered distinct and are placed in their own kingdom like plants and animals. From studies, it came to know that fungi exhibit more similarities to animals than to plants.

Like they possess chitin in their cell walls like some of the animals and have food storage in the form of glycogen. Apart from this, the fungi are heterotrophic, that is, depends on others for their nutrition and also are devoid of chlorophyll, which demonstrates that they cannot produce their own food like plants. Some of the examples of fungi are yeasts, mushrooms, molds, etc.