Which one of the following is not a characteristic feature of fungi?

Key Points

• Fungi are a group of eukaryotic organisms that belong to the kingdom Fungi.
• Fungi are placed in a kingdom separate from both plants and animals because of some characteristic features.

Mode of Nutrition - 

• They are heterotrophic organisms that cannot produce their own food and have to depend on other organisms for food.
• The types of fungi based on their mode of nutrition: 
  • Saprophytic - feed on dead organic matter. E.g. - Penicillium
  • Parasitic - are also disease-causing fungi that get nutrition from host organisms. E.g. - Puccinia
  • Symbionts - are mutually beneficial associations between two different species. E.g. - Lichens 

Structure - 

• Fungal cells are eukaryotic and possess cell wall that is composed of chitin.
• The body of fungus is made up of thread-like structures called hyphae.
• The branching network of such hyphae is known as mycelium.
• These mycelia are filamentous structures that may be divided internally by septa.
• These have multiple functions like absorption of nutrients from the substrata, anchorage and interaction with the environment.

Reproduction - 

• Fungi may have both sexual and asexual modes of reproduction.
• Different types of asexual spores may be produced by fungi - conidia, sporangiospores.

Hence, the correct answer is option 3.