Asexual Reproduction
Types There are 5 types of asexual reproduction Splitting Budding Fragmenting Spores parthenogenesis
Splitting One of the simplest ways of reproducing is for the parent to simply divide into two. This is common in Monera which will reproduce by binary fission, which the DNA will duplicate and divide by mitosis The offspring will be genetically the same as the parent with no additional genes added Binary fission in prokaryotes- magnification 30000 times.
Dividing by mitosis in a paramecium Results in a offspring with identical genetic information
Budding Budding involves the growth and separation of a small part of a parent organism to form a new organism. In some organisms, a miniature or complete version of the parent grows out of the parent body, breaks off and develops into adults. Ex. Strawberry, potatoes tubers etc.
Budding
Fragmenting The third kind of reproduction is actually a form of repair to damaged parts Sometimes a small part of an organism will break off and the piece will grow by mitosis to replace all the missing major body tissues. For example a small part of a sponge can grow into a new sponge.
Fragmentation If a starfish is damaged by a predator, many of the broken pieces will often regenerate broken parts and a small population of exactly alike starfish will be produced.
2 planarians can be produced from one by fragmentation
Spores The forth method of asexual reproduction involves the production of spores. Spores are produced by a variety of organisms including plants, fungi, algae. Each spore contains the DNA and a small section of the cytoplasm surrounded by a tough outer wall, which protects the spore.
Parthenogenesis Some insects such as bees and aphids will reproduce by parthenogenesis. During this process and UNFERTILIZED egg develops into an adult. For example the queen bee lays both fertilized and unfertilized eggs. The fertilized eggs will develop into female workers and the haploid eggs into male drones which mate with the queen. Haploid drone Queen Diploid worker