If animal DNA is a single strand, then what is a chromosome and why do different animals have different numbers of chromosomes?

Question

And how can animals descended from a common ancestor have different numbers of chromosomes?

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Answer 1

There’s a lot to unpack here… They don’t have a single stand. A chromosome is a protein paired with a single molecule of DNA. We have a bunch of them. Animals and plants also have a bunch of them, and they do different things and have different effects if they get messed up. Chromosomal fusion over time is generally considered the answer to why there are differing numbers of chromosomes in different species.