Sexual reproduction
Sexual reproduction is the type of reproduction which involves the fusion of haploid female and male gametes which results the formation of diploid zygote.
What are the characteristics of Sexual reproduction?
Sexual reproduction has the following basic features:
- It is generally biparental.
- It involves the fusion of formation of male and female gamete.
- Mostly there is fusion of male and female gamete (fertilization).
- Cell division are meiotic during gamete formation and mitotic during the development of zygote into the offspring.
- The offspring are not generally identical/same to the parent. They show variation as they as they receive the character of their parent. So, Sexual reproduction is the source of variety of population.
- Multiplication is lower than the asexual reproduction.
- Sexual Reproduction may not result in an increase in number of individuals.
- It involves the meiosis and fusion of gametes.
- There are three events in the Sexual reproduction- i) Pre-fertilization ( Includes gametogenesis and gamete transfer) (ii) Syngamy or Fertilization (iii) Post- fertilization ( includes formation of zygote and embryogenesis)
What is the significance or importance of sexual reproduction?
Sexual reproduction has the dual significance for the species.
- It results in the multiplication and perpetuation(continuation) of the species.
- It contributes to the evolution of the species by introducing variation in the population much more rapidly rather than the asexual reproduction.