Asked by Joscelyn Riddles on May 05, 2024
Verified
The ____ algae are the closest living relatives to land plants.
A) Chlamydomonas
B) Volvox
C) charophyte
D) sea lettuce
E) Ulva
Charophyte Algae
A group of green algae thought to be the closest relatives of land plants, sharing common traits such as cellular division and photosynthetic pigments.
Closest Relatives
The species or taxonomic group that is most closely related to another in evolutionary terms, sharing a recent common ancestor.
Land Plants
Plants that have evolved to live primarily on land, as opposed to aquatic environments, featuring adaptations such as roots and protective tissues.
- Clarify the evolutionary role of protists and how they are related to various life forms.
Verified Answer
AE
Antanika EbanksMay 10, 2024
Final Answer :
C
Explanation :
Charophytes, also known as stoneworts, are considered the closest living relatives to land plants. They share several characteristics with land plants, including the presence of cell walls made of cellulose, similar reproductive strategies, and the ability to synthesize certain complex molecules, such as sporopollenin. Chlamydomonas, Volvox, sea lettuce, and Ulva are all green algae, but they are not as closely related to land plants as charophytes.
Learning Objectives
- Clarify the evolutionary role of protists and how they are related to various life forms.