Question

Which of the following is/are the example/s of natural cloning?

• A. Identical twins in mammals
• B. Buds in Hydra
• C. Fraternal twins
• D. Bees produced by parthenogenesis

Answer 1

Answer: (A), (B), (D)

The correct options are
A Identical twins in mammals
B Buds in Hydra
D Bees produced by parthenogenesis

Cloning in biotechnology refers to processes used to create copies of DNA fragments (molecular cloning), cells (cell cloning), or organisms. Cloning is an experimental technique, wherein a group of morphologically and genetically identical organisms are produced.
Natural cloning happens when such copies are produced naturally. In mammals, identical twins, also called as monozygotic twins, is an example of natural cloning.
All methods of asexual reproduction are examples of natural cloning. Few to a list are, fission in Amoeba and Plasmodium, budding in yeast and hydra, vegetative reproduction in Bryophyllum, etc.
In certain animals like insects, bees, fish, etc., offsprings are produced by unfertilized eggs, this method known as parthenogenesis. Reproduction by parthenogenesis is also an example of natural cloning.
Fraternal twins(dizygotic twins) are not identical copies and hence it is not an example of cloning.