Sexual and Asexual Reproduction

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms related to sexual and asexual reproduction, their processes, and examples.

Gamete

A sex cell that contains half the usual number of chromosomes.

Male Gamete (Animal)

Often called sperm; fuses with the female gamete during fertilization.

Female Gamete (Animal)

Often called egg or ovum; fuses with the male gamete to form a zygote.

Pollen

The male gamete in flowering plants.

Ovum (Plant Egg)

The female gamete in flowering plants.

Chromosome

A structure containing genes; gametes carry half the usual number.

Fertilization

The fusion of male and female gametes to form a zygote.

Zygote

A fertilized egg produced after gamete fusion.

Sexual Reproduction

Reproduction involving two parents who combine genes to produce genetically varied offspring.

Asexual Reproduction

Reproduction involving one parent that produces genetically identical offspring (clones).

Clone

A genetically exact copy of the parent organism produced asexually.

Genetic Variation

Differences in DNA among individuals; high in sexual reproduction, low in asexual.

Budding

A form of asexual reproduction where a new organism grows from an outgrowth of the parent.

Fragmentation

Asexual reproduction where a piece of an organism develops into a fully grown copy.

Fission (Binary Fission)

Cell division where one cell splits into two identical copies.

Spore

A tiny ball of cells released by organisms like fungi that can grow into new individuals.

Vegetative Propagation

Asexual reproduction in plants using parts such as stems or roots to grow new plants.

Runner

A horizontal stem that sprouts daughter plants during vegetative propagation.

Parthenogenesis

Rare form of asexual reproduction in animals where offspring are produced without mating.

Courtship and Mating

Behavioral processes required before sexual reproduction can occur.

Adaptation Advantage

Sexual reproduction allows offspring to adapt more easily to environmental changes.

No Genetic Variation Disadvantage

A drawback of asexual reproduction where all offspring share the same traits, including harmful ones.