Placing sponges as the basal metazoans on the basis of lack of tissues implies which of the following?
A) Sponge ancestors never had tissues.
B) Modern-day sponges have lost the ability to form tissues.
C) Multicellular, modern-day choanoflagellates can form tissues.
D) Sponges do not have nerve cells.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Sponges are considered basal metazoans because they lack true tissues, which implies that their ancestors likely never had tissues, rather than sponges having lost the ability to form tissues. This characteristic distinguishes them from other animals.

Placing Sponges as the Basal Metazoans on the Basis of Lack