Which Eukaryotic Kingdom is Polyphyletic, and Therefore Unacceptable, Based on Cladistics

Question

Which eukaryotic kingdom is polyphyletic, and therefore unacceptable, based on cladistics?
A) Plantae
B) Fungi
C) Animalia
D) Protista
E) Monera

Accepted Answer

Protista is a polyphyletic group, meaning it contains organisms that do not share a common ancestor. Therefore, it is unacceptable based on cladistics, which aims to group organisms based on evolutionary relationships. The other kingdoms (Plantae, Fungi, and Animalia) are considered monophyletic, meaning they consist of a common ancestor and all of its descendants. Monera is an outdated kingdom and is no longer used in modern classification systems.