Question

Describe five modes of asexual reproduction in animals.

Answer 1

• Organisms choose to reproduce asexually by different means. Some of the asexual methods are binary fission (e.g. Amoeba, bacteria), budding (e.g. Hydra), fragmentation (e.g. Planaria), spore formation (e.g. ferns) and vegetative propagation (e.g. Onion).
  
• Modes of Asexual Reproduction:
  

1. Binary fission: Binary fission is a type of asexual reproduction in which the fully grown parent cell splits into two halves, producing two new daughter cells. It is common among organisms such as Bacteria, Amoeba and Paramecium
2. Budding: Most yeasts reproduce asexually by an asymmetric division process called budding. First, it produces a small protuberance on the parent cell that grows to full size and forms a bud. The nucleus of the parent cell splits into a daughter nucleus and migrates into the daughter cell.
3. Fragmentation in multicellular organisms is a form of asexual reproduction in which an organism is split into fragments. Each of these fragments develops into matured, fully grown individuals that are identical to their parents.
   
4. Spore formation is a method of asexual reproduction which is found in non-flowering plants such as fungi (Rhizopus) and bacteria. In this method of reproduction, the parent plant produces hundreds of tiny spores which can grow into new plants.
   
5. Vegetative propagation is a form of asexual reproduction of a plant. Only one plant is involved and the offspring is the result of one parent. The new plant is genetically identical to the parent.