Animals That Use Asexual Reproduction
Asexual reproduction is used extensively in the plant, fungi and algae species but is much less common in animals. For animals asexual reproduction occurs through parthenogenesis, in which eggs can develop without fertilization; budding, in which the new animal splits from a parental cell; or through polyembryony in which numerous eggs or propagules are produced internally. Asexual reproduction does not require two parents for reproduction to occur. The young are spawned from one parent.
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Aphids
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Aphids are insects that suck sap produced by plants. The life cycle of the aphid uses both sexual reproduction and parthenogenesis. During the spring and summer months the aphids reproduce asexually and then in the autumn use sexual reproduction. Asexual reproduction is used in the spring and summer because there is plenty of food available. The additional food during these warm months can support more aphids, so asexual reproduction occurs because it is faster type of reproduction. When there is less food available during the cooler months, aphids use sexual reproduction.
Coral
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Coral uses the budding method of asexual reproduction, though it can also use sexual reproduction. The newly formed bud may break away from the parent cell and form a new coral colony. Asexual reproduction occurs when an environmental disturbance, such as a strong current, earthquake or animal dislodges some cells from the colony. These cells will then grow where they land.
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Jellyfish
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One type of jellyfish, known as moon jellyfish, uses asexual reproduction. The female jellyfish will release her eggs into the ocean where they are then fertilized by the male jellyfish sperm. Tiny creatures that are known as Planula are produced. These planula will attach themselves to shells or rocks and grow into a polyp. The polyp can then use budding to produce many other polyps. This budding is the asexual reproduction. Most jellyfish budding occurs in the spring. These polyps will then eventually grow into moon jellyfish.
Bees
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Bees use both sexual and asexual reproduction. The type of asexual reproduction that is used is parthenogenesis. When the queen bee lays eggs, some eggs will be fertilized and some will not be fertilized. The eggs that are not fertilized will turn into male worker, drone bees, which are sterile. The male worker bees do not contain two sets of chromosomes, known as diploid cells. The worker bees contain haploid cells, as they only have one set of chromosomes.
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References
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