Which group of organisms includes only multicellular heterotrophs?
What is Fungi?
fungi is multicellular organisms
The group of organisms that includes only multicellular heterotrophs is the animal kingdom, or Animalia.
To determine this, you can follow these steps:
1. Start by understanding the characteristics of multicellular organisms: Multicellular organisms are made up of more than one distinct cell. They can function as a collective unit and exhibit various complex structures and specialized cells.
2. Next, consider the concept of heterotrophs: Heterotrophs are organisms that cannot produce their own food and rely on consuming other organisms to obtain nutrients.
3. Now, recall the major groups or kingdoms of organisms: The primary kingdoms are Animalia (animals), Plantae (plants), Fungi (fungi), Protista (protists), and Monera (bacteria). Each kingdom consists of organisms with specific characteristics.
4. Finally, analyze each kingdom based on the criteria of multicellularity and heterotrophy:
- Plantae: This kingdom includes multicellular organisms, but they are autotrophs, capable of photosynthesis, and are able to produce their own food. So, it is not the correct answer.
- Fungi: Fungi are multicellular organisms, but they are heterotrophs that obtain nutrients through absorption from their environment. However, this kingdom also includes unicellular organisms, such as yeasts, so it does not satisfy the criteria of including only multicellular organisms.
- Protista: Protists are a diverse group that includes both unicellular and multicellular organisms. Some protists can be heterotrophs, but not all are multicellular. Therefore, it is not the correct answer.
- Monera: Monera represents singular-celled organisms, mainly bacteria. Bacteria can be heterotrophs but, unlike animals, they are not multicellular.
By following these steps, we conclude that the only group of organisms that includes only multicellular heterotrophs is the animal kingdom or Animalia.