What is the most recent common ancestor of fungi and animals?

The most recent common ancestor of fungi and animals is believed to be a unicellular, flagellated organism that lived over a billion years ago. This ancestor is part of the Opisthokonta group, which includes both fungi and animals, indicating that they share a closer evolutionary relationship than with other eukaryotes. Genetic and molecular evidence supports this connection, highlighting key similarities in cellular structures and genetic makeup. This ancestor likely possessed traits that allowed for multicellularity, which evolved differently in the two lineages.