Asked by Jaxon Young on May 06, 2024
Verified
The protist that is most closely related to animals is the ____.
A) amoeba
B) choanoflagellate
C) dinoflagellate
D) euglenoid
E) paramecium
Choanoflagellate
A group of free-living unicellular and colonial flagellate eukaryotes considered to be the closest living relatives of the animals.
Protist
Common term for a eukaryote that is not a plant, animal, or fungus.
Dinoflagellate
A group of single-celled, mostly marine organisms with two flagella, known for causing bioluminescence and red tides.
- Identify relationships among protists and their closest animal relatives.
Verified Answer
ZK
Zybrea KnightMay 07, 2024
Final Answer :
B
Explanation :
Choanoflagellates are the protists that are most closely related to animals. They share a number of morphological and molecular characteristics with the choanocytes, the cells that line the interior of the sponges. This suggests a possible evolutionary link between the choanoflagellates and the first animals. Amoebas, dinoflagellates, euglenoids, and paramecia have distinct and different characteristics than animals.
Learning Objectives
- Identify relationships among protists and their closest animal relatives.