Which of the following statements explains why animals are less likely than plants to speciate by polyploidy?
A) Animals are more mobile, so populations get separated far less often.
B) Animals are better at recognizing appropriate mates.
C) Animals have better mechanisms for repairing chromosomes than plants have.
D) Animals self- fertilize less often than plants, so diploid gametes are less likely to fuse.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Polyploidy leads to speciation by preventing viable offspring from forming when diploid and polyploid individuals mate. In plants, polyploidy can occur through self-fertilization, which is more common in plants than in animals. Therefore, animals are less likely to speciate by polyploidy because diploid gametes are less likely to fuse in animals than in plants.

Which of the Following Statements Explains Why Animals Are Less