Asexual reproduction essay

This represents purely asexual reproduction, even though seeds may be formed as a result of sexual reproduction. In comparing sexual and asexual reproduction in living organisms it might seem that asexual reproduction would have a number of advantages over sexual reproduction.

In general, asexual reproduction is limited in the animal kingdom to certain members of the lowest phyla in the scale of complexity, notably the Protozoa, Porifera, Cnidaria, and Platyhelminthes, of the phyla we have considered as major ones. In the plant kingdom, however some of the most advanced plants reproduce in this fashion with regularity.

Fragmentation is a form of asexual reproduction where a new organism grows from a fragment of the parent. Each fragment develops into a mature, fully grown individual. Fragmentation is seen in many organisms such as animals (some annelid worms, turbellarians and sea stars), fungi, and plants.

Although sexuality has never been observed in some species and in others reproduction is entirely sexual a great many species exhibit both sexual and asexual reproduction. Hydra a common freshwater cnidarian is such an organism.