Answer: They form an aggregation called plasmodium and are saprophytic.
- A They are mainly photosynthetic, deriving energy directly from chlorophyll pigments
- B They form an aggregation called plasmodium and are saprophytic
- C They possess a rigid cellulose cell wall similar to that of green algae
- D They reproduce mainly through prokaryotic-style binary fission
Correct answer: B. They form an aggregation called plasmodium and are saprophytic
Explanation: Slime moulds are saprophytic protists that engulf decaying organic matter. Under favorable conditions, they aggregate to form a structure called the plasmodium, which can grow and spread several feet.
Whittaker's five-kingdom system (1969) groups all cellular life by cell structure and nutrition; viruses, viroids, and lichens fall outside this system entirely since they aren't independently classifiable as one of the five.
Concept context
Whittaker's five kingdom system covering Monera, Protista, Fungi, plus viruses, viroids, and lichens. A foundational NEET chapter on how living organisms are grouped.