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Why are fungi called heterotrophic?

 Fungi called heterotrophic because they do not make their own food . They take their nutrition from dead & decaying matter .

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  • The fungi are all heterotrophic
  • They have a filamentous cell structure that is essentially undifferentiated
  • They have chitin cell walls rather than cellulose

This is why they are included in their own kingdom which in some ways is closer to animals than plants. For example insect and other arthropod skeletons are made of chitin

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 Fungi are called heterotropic because they depend on a host organism for food.

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 Heterotrophs function as consumers in food chains: they obtain organic carbon by eating other heterotrophs or autotrophs. They break down complex organic compounds that are produced by autotrophs.

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 All animals are heterotrophic, as well as fungi and many bacteria. Some animals, such as corals, form symbiotic relationships with autotrophs and obtain organic carbon in this way. Furthermore, some parasitic plants have also turned fully or partially heterotrophic, while so-called carnivorous plants consume animals to augment their nitrogen supply while remaining autotrophic.

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