Which of the following factors most likely accounts for the fact that polyploids are much more common in plants than in animals?
A) A tetraploid plant is more likely to be able to self-fertilize and produce offspring, but a tetraploid animal would need a second, independently produced tetraploid with which to mate.
B) A diploid plant is more likely to be able to self-fertilize and produce offspring, but a diploid animal almost always needs another diploid as a mate.
C) Plants are more likely to produce diploid gametes than are animals.
D) Meiotic mechanisms are less reliable in plants than in animals.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Polyploidy, or having multiple sets of chromosomes, is more common in plants partly because many plants can self-fertilize, allowing a polyploid plant to reproduce even if it is the only one of its kind. In contrast, a polyploid animal would typically need to find another polyploid mate to reproduce, which is statistically less likely, especially if the polyploidy occurred spontaneously.

Which of the Following Factors Most Likely Accounts for the Fact