in which of the following pairs do the structures play comparable roles in the plant and animal life cycles?

7 hours ago 1
Nature

The question asks in which pairs the structures play comparable roles in the plant and animal life cycles. In plant life cycles, significant structures include:

  • Sporophyte: the diploid multicellular stage producing spores.
  • Gametophyte: the haploid multicellular stage producing gametes.
  • Spores: haploid cells that grow into gametophytes.
  • Gametes: haploid reproductive cells that fuse to form a zygote.

In animal life cycles, the main comparable structures include:

  • The adult organism (diploid) producing haploid gametes by meiosis.
  • Gametes (haploid reproductive cells).
  • Zygote (diploid fertilized egg).

Key comparisons:

  • The plant sporophyte corresponds to the adult animal organism as both are diploid multicellular stages.
  • Plant gametes and animal gametes have comparable roles as haploid reproductive cells.
  • Plant spores have no direct animal equivalent because animals do not have a multicellular spore phase.

Thus, pairs where structures play comparable roles in plant and animal life cycles include:

  1. Plant sporophyte and adult animal organism (both diploid multicellular generations).
  2. Plant gametes and animal gametes (both haploid reproductive cells).

I found this pattern clearly outlined in the alternation of generations typical in plants versus the direct production of gametes by animals from a diploid adult stage.

If specific pairs are given in choices, the answer would be those pairs including these analogous structures.