Question

How are the reproductive cycles of a fungus and a pteridophyte similar? A. Both organisms form fruiting bodies that produce diploid seeds. B. Both organisms reproduce sexually when two haploid hyphae fuse. C. Both organisms produce haploid spores and exhibit diploid and haploid stages. D. Both organisms exhibit a diploid stage and are only able to reproduce asexually. Reset Next Plants and Fungi: Mastery Test

Answer 1

Both organisms exhibit a diploid stage and are only able to reproduce asexually.

Answer 2

The correct answer is option C, that is, both the organisms generate haploid spores and exhibit diploid and haploid stages.  

The sporophyte (of the haploid stage) in pteridophytes produce spores. The diploid stage in pteridophytes may take place when two of the spores combines and give rise to a prothallus, that is, the diploid stage of the pteridophytes.  

In fungi, the production of spores takes place by sporangiophores (haploid stage). At a certain stage, two horizontal hyphae among the two species of fungi, may amalgamate at the tips and produce a zygote (diploid) via plasmogamy and karyogamy.