Sexual and Asexual Reproduction

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to sexual and asexual reproduction as discussed in the lecture.

Sex

The process involving fertilization where two gametes meet to form a zygote, creating new genetic combinations.

Asexual Reproduction

A mode of reproduction where no new genetic combination is produced; offspring are clones of the parent.

Gametes

Reproductive cells (sperm and eggs) that unite during sexual reproduction to form a zygote.

Zygote

The initial cell formed when a sperm cell fertilizes an egg cell.

Facultative Hartmenogenic

A reproductive strategy where females can produce offspring either sexually or asexually depending on environmental conditions.

Gender vs. Sex

Sex refers to the biological classification of males and females based on reproductive roles, while gender denotes personal identity and cultural roles.

Fitness

The ability of an organism to pass on its genetic material to the next generation, often tied to reproductive success.

Bateman's Principle

The observation that males have higher variance in reproductive success than females, often owing to differences in parental investment.

Anisogamy

The difference in gamete size between sexes; typically, eggs are larger than sperm.

Sperm Competition

The competition between sperm from multiple males to fertilize the eggs of a female.

Extra Pair Copulation (EPC)

Mating opportunities outside of a primary partnership that may occur, especially when females are fertile.

Mate Guarding

The behavior exhibited by males to protect their mates from competing males after copulation.

Muller's Ratchet

The accumulation of deleterious mutations in asexual lineages due to lack of genetic recombination.

Negative Frequency Dependence

A situation in a population where the fitness of a phenotype decreases as it becomes more common, leading to a balance in sex ratios.

Sexual Selection

A type of natural selection where certain traits evolve to enhance an individual's chance of mating and reproducing.

Intrasexual Selection

Competition among members of the same sex (usually males) for access to mates.

Intersexual Selection

Selection that occurs when one sex (usually females) chooses mates based on certain traits.

Nuptial Gifts

Resources males provide to females during courtship, which may enhance reproductive output.

Reproductive Success (RS)

The number of offspring produced by an individual, often used as a measure of fitness.

Sexual Dimorphism

Distinct differences in size or appearance between the sexes of the same species.

Cloacal Plug

A mass left behind by a male in the female's reproductive tract that can block entry to other males' sperm.

Copulatory Plug

A plug made of material delivered by the male after mating that prevents subsequent copulations.