In zoology the sexual reproduction, the production of new organisms by the combination of genetic information of two individulas of different sexes. Most organisms reproduce by mating,which increases the genetic variability of the organism. The males and females have separate reproductive organs known as gonads. These gonads produce gametes that fuse together to form a single cell that called the zygote.
Difference between Sexual and Asexual Reproduction
The differences between sexual and asexual reproduction are as follows:
| Asexual Reproduction | Sexual Reproduction |
|---|---|
| Occurs in prokaryotic microorganisms and in some eukaryotic unicellular and multicellular organisms, lower invertebrates and plants | Occurs almost in all types of multicellular organisms including humans, animals, and higher plants. |
| It is uniparental. | It is usually bi-parental. |
| Gametes are not formed. | Gametes are formed. |
| Somatic cells of parents are involved. | Germ cells of parents are involved. |
| No fertilization occurs. | Fertilization takes place. |
| No involvement of reproductive organs. | Presence of fully developed reproductive organs. |
| Only mitosis type of cell division occurs. | Both meiosis and mitosis type of cell division occurs. |
| The progeny and the parent are genetically identical. | The progenies will be genetically different from the parents. |
| Characteristics of only one parent are inherited. | Characteristics of both parents are inherited. |
| The genes and genetic material are just multiplied and passed on to new organisms from the parent. | The genetic material undergoes intermixing from both parents to form a new set of genetic material. |
| Multiplication is very rapid and takes less time. | Multiplication is not so rapid and takes a longer time to complete. |
| The number of offsprings produced may vary from two to many. | The number of offsprings produced is comparatively lower. |
| No evolutionary significance. | Has evolutionary significance in the population. |
| Bacterial fission, fragmentation, spore formation, budding of hydra are different types of asexual reproduction. | Syngamy, external fertilization, and conjugation are different types of sexual reproduction. |
