Five Kingdom Classification
Which feature most strongly differentiates Fungi from Plantae in Whittaker's five kingdom classification?
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About This Question
- Subject
- biology
- Chapter
- diversity in living world
- Topic
- five kingdom classification
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Year
- 2025
Solution
Correct Answer:
Mode of nutrition
- Whittaker's Criteria: R.H. Whittaker used cell structure, body organization, mode of nutrition, reproduction, and phylogenetic relationships.
- Shared Features: Both Fungi and Plantae contain eukaryotic cells, most are multicellular, and both possess cell walls.
- The Difference:
- Plantae: Predominantly autotrophic (photosynthetic).
- Fungi: Solely heterotrophic (saprophytic or parasitic). They absorb nutrients from organic matter.
- Cell Wall Composition: While both have walls, plants have cellulose-based walls, whereas fungi have chitinous walls. However, the 'Mode of Nutrition' is the primary taxonomic divider in the five-kingdom logic.
This medium difficulty biology question is from the chapter diversity in living world, covering the topic of five kingdom classification. It appeared in the 2025 exam.
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