Question

Which characteristic is seen in whales, but not in phytoplankton

Answer 1

heterotrophic

Answer 2

@christian26000

Answer 3

Whales don't eat phytoplankton. They eat zooplankton. Phytoplankton are photosynthetic micro-organisms. They are eaten by small fish, such as herrings and other small animals known as zooplankton. The zooplankton are small animals such as krill or the larvae of fish, molluscs and crustaceans or other marine animals. Baleen whales may eat a lot of small fish and zooplankton, but their baleen plates are too coarse to trap the microscopic phytoplankon.

Whales are endotherms, meaning they generate internal body heat to stay warm. None of the zooplankton or phytoplankton is endothermic, even if some of them (e.g. fish larvae) may have skeletons and teeth.

Answer 4

thank you @barreraA