A sea anemone is in the animal kingdom, even though it resembles a plant.

Question

What characteristic allowed scientists to definitively classify the sea anemone as an animal rather than a plant?

Sea anemone are not photosynthetic

Sea anemone are eukaryotic

Sea anemone are heterotrophic

Sea anemone do not have cell walls

Answer 1

The characteristic that allowed scientists to definitively classify the sea anemone as an animal rather than a plant is that sea anemones are heterotrophic. Heterotrophic organisms obtain their nutrition by consuming other organisms or organic matter, while plants are typically autotrophic and obtain their nutrition through photosynthesis.