Why is speciation by polyploidy more likely in plants than in animals?
A) Plants lack the DNA repair enzymes that animals have.
B) Plants are sessile and cannot speciate via dispersal.
C) Plant gametes can be produced from somatic cells that have undergone many rounds of mitosis.
D) Plant gametes lack postzygotic isolating mechanisms.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Polyploidy in plants can occur when a somatic cell undergoes many rounds of mitosis to produce a tetraploid (4n) or other polyploid cell, which can then give rise to gametes that are also polyploid. This type of speciation is rare in animals because it is difficult for an animal to produce viable gametes from somatic cells that have undergone many rounds of mitosis.

Why Is Speciation by Polyploidy More Likely in Plants Than