Characteristics of animals and fungi Classify the following characteristics to describe the similarities and differences between animals and fungi. Solution Eukaryotic - both animas and fungi. As their cells posses nucleus. Contain mycelium with hyphae : fungi. Mycelium is vegetative structures of fungi. Cell walls contain chitin : fungi. N - acetylglucosamine polymer. Cell wall not present in animals. Contains no cell wall - animals. Cell wall is characteristic feature of plant cells. Heterotrophic : ingest food : animals. Known as holozoic nutrition. Does not have chloroplast and chlorophyll pigment thus cannot make their own food. Consume preformed organic matter : both animals and fungi. Just one ingests and other absorbs. Heterotrophic : saprotropic and absorbs food - fungi. This is a chemoheterotropic mode of nutrition. Store energy as glycogen : animals. As they store food in a form which does not solubilize when in contact with water..