Biology

Biological Reproduction

762 Questions

Biological reproduction encompasses processes like asexual and sexual reproduction, alternation of generations, and specific mechanisms in plants and fungi. This topic is fundamental for biology paper preparation in various competitive exams. Practice these questions to solidify your understanding.

Asexual reproduction structuresPlant and fungi life cyclesCloning and fertilizationReproductive terminology

Biological Reproduction Questions

Multiple choice zoology reproduction in organisms parthenocarpic fruits parthenogenesis the life cycle of plants

Identify the wrong statement

  1. Plants produced vegetatively or asexually are called clones

  2. Organisms exhibiting external fertilization release a large number of gametes

  3. Development of embryo from fertilized female gamete is called parthenogenesis

  4. Conidia are formed in Alternaria
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation
Vegetatively propagated plants are the clone of their own parents because the fusion of gametes does not take place in vegetative propagation so there is no chance of recombination and variation.The parent cell divides to form daughter cell by mitosis due to which the offspring is genetically identical to the parent. The statement is true.
Organisms exhibiting external fertilization release a large number of gametes to increase the chance of fertilization and increase the rate of survival of the gametes which are affected by the unfavorable condition in the environment. The statement is true.
Parthenogenesis is the development of an embryo from an unfertilized egg or if a spermatozoa does penetrate the egg, there is no union of male and female pronuclei. It is a mode of asexual reproduction. The statement is false.
Alternaria solani is a deuteromycete with a polycyclic life cycle. Alternaria solani reproduces aesexually by means of conidia. The statement is true.
So, the correct answer is option C.
Multiple choice zoology reproduction in organisms parthenocarpic fruits parthenogenesis the life cycle of plants

Development of an organism from female gamete/egg without involving fertilization is

  1. Adventitive embryony

  2. Polyembryony

  3. Parthenocarpy

  4. Parthenogenesis
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation
Parthenogenesis is the development of an embryo from an unfertilised egg or if a spermatozoa does penetrate the egg, there is no union of male and female pronuclei. It is a mode of asexual reproduction. On the basis of division, it is of two types apomictic parthenogenesis and automictic parthenogenesis. In apomictic parthenogenesis, the mature egg cells are produced by mitotic divisions, and these cells directly develop into embryos. The offsprings produced are full clones of the mother.
In automictic parthenogenesis, the mother cell undergoes meiosis and produces haploid offspring which are the half-clone of the mother cell.
Adventive embryony is a type of apomixis where the embryo arises from cells of nucellus or the integument.
The production of two or more embryos in one seed is known as polyembryony.
Parthenocarpy is natural or artificially induced production of fruit without fertilization of ovules.
So, the correct answer is option D.
Multiple choice zoology reproduction in organisms parthenocarpic fruits parthenogenesis the life cycle of plants

Seedless fruits in Banana are produced through

  1. Asexual reproduction

  2. Parthenogenesis

  3. Triploid

  4. Cross pollination
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Seedless fruits in the banana are produced through parthenocarpy which is a type of parthenogenesis. The inflorescence contains clusters of flowers. The ovary of flower develops into a seedless fruit by parthenocarpy. The female flowers of the inflorescence present on the true stem mature and develop into fruit without fertilization of gametes while the male flowers produce pollen which may or may not be sterile.

So, the correct answer is option B.

Multiple choice zoology reproduction in organisms parthenocarpic fruits parthenogenesis the life cycle of plants

Process of formation of an individual without contribution of father is called as

  1. Epigenesis

  2. Pangenesis

  3. Induction

  4. Parthenogenesis
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The process of sexual reproduction usually involves gametogenesis, which generates haploid gametes (sperm and ovum) and their fusion during fertilization. Sometimes an embryo can develop without participation of male gamete (sperm). Parthenogenesis is a type of asexual reproduction in which females produce offspring from unfertilized eggs i.e., the development of an unfertilized egg into an adult organism. It is common among honeybees, wasps, and certain other arthropods.

Multiple choice zoology reproduction in organisms parthenocarpic fruits parthenogenesis the life cycle of plants

Natural parthenogenesis occurs in

  1. Dog

  2. Honey-bee

  3. Frog

  4. House-fly
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Parthenogenesis is a type of asexual reproduction in which an unfertilized egg develops into an adult animal. The adult is typically haploid. Parthenogenesis is common among insects (especially honeybees and wasps) and crustaceans; it also occurs among some other invertebrate and vertebrate groups, including some species of nematodes, gastropods, fishes, amphibians, and reptiles. Thus, the correct answer is option B.

Multiple choice zoology reproduction in organisms parthenocarpic fruits parthenogenesis the life cycle of plants

.......... is a form of reproduction which does not involve a male gamete.

  1. Fragmentation

  2. Spores

  3. Budding

  4. Agamogenesis
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Fragmentation, budding and spore formation are types of asexual reproduction where no gamete formation takes place. Here, a single organism produces offspring without the involvement of any other organism or gamete formation.

While agamogenesis does not involve a male gamete though organisms Are capable of producing male gametes or undergoing sexual reproduction. Parthenogenesis is an example of agamogenesis in which an unfertilized egg develops into a new individual. Honeybee and turkey undergo parthenogenesis.
So, the correct option is 'Agamogenesis'.

Multiple choice zoology reproduction in organisms parthenocarpic fruits parthenogenesis the life cycle of plants

Which of the reproductive strategy is most effective in stable environment and abundant resources?

  1. Sexual reproduction, with intense parental care and slow development

  2. Sexual reproduction, with slight parental care and quick development

  3. Parthenogenesis

  4. All of the above

  5. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

  • Parthenogenesis involves growth and development of embryo from an unfertilised egg cell. 
  • Parthenogenesis will result in offspring that are genetically similar and with stable environment and abundant resources all of them can survive.
  • While, sexual reproduction results in offspring that are not identical and this variation leads to competition for resources.
So, the correct option is 'Parthenogenesis'.

Multiple choice zoology reproduction in organisms parthenocarpic fruits parthenogenesis the life cycle of plants

Which corresponds to parthenogenesis?

  1. Autogamy

  2. Cytogamy

  3. Endomixis

  4. Amphimixis
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Parthenogenesis is the production of an embryo from a female gamete without any genetic contribution from a male gamete, with or without the eventual development into an adult. It corresponds to endomixis since the nuclear reorganization leads to the formation of macronucleus which also results in rejuvenation of the organism.

So, the correct option is 'Endomixis'.

Multiple choice zoology reproduction in organisms parthenocarpic fruits parthenogenesis the life cycle of plants

Whiptail lizard show

  1. Periodic parthenogenesis

  2. Paedogenic parthenogenesis

  3. Obligatory parthenogenesis

  4. Incomplete parthenogenesis
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Parthenogenesis is a natural form of asexual reproduction in which growth and development of embryo occur without fertilisation. The offspring arise from a single organism and inherits the genes of that parent only, it does not involve the fusion of gametes, and almost never changes the number of chromosomes.

There are mainly two types of parthenogenesis: facultative and obligatory. 
In facultative parthenogenesis, there is switching between sexual reproduction and parthenogenesis.
In obligatory parthenogenesis organisms exclusively reproduce through asexual means. Whiptail lizards are unisex reptiles which reproduce only asexually. A female will produce an ovum with a full set of genes provided solely by the mother. Thus, a male is not needed to provide sperm to fertilise the egg. This type of asexual reproduction is a serious threat to biodiversity due to lack of gene variation and decreased the fitness of offspring.
Incomplete or periodic parthenogenesis are same as facultative parthenogenesis where sexual reproduction alternates with parthenogenesis. For e.g., in bees and wasps, some eggs develop without fertilisation and produce females and those eggs that are fertilised develop into males.
Paedogenic parthenogenesis is found in Gallfly, where larva may lay eggs which develop parthenogenetically into the new generation of larvae.
Thus, the correct answer is option C.

Multiple choice zoology reproduction in organisms parthenocarpic fruits parthenogenesis the life cycle of plants

Parthenogenesis is the development of fruit

  1. With viable seeds after fertilization

  2. With viable seeds after pollination

  3. With viable seeds without fertilisation

  4. Without seeds after pollination
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Parthenogenesis is a natural form of asexual reproduction in which growth and development of embryo occur without fertilisation. It can occur without meiosis  i.e., division to form haploid cells. Mature egg cells are formed by the mitotic division of ovary or somatic cells and these cells directly develop into embryos. In flowering plants, cells of gametophyte can undergo this process. The seeds thus formed are viable and produce exact replica or clone of their mother.

Thus, the correct answer is option C.

Multiple choice zoology reproduction in organisms parthenocarpic fruits parthenogenesis the life cycle of plants

Parthenogenesis is the development of a female egg into a new individual without the contribution of a male set of chromosomes.
In a hypothetical pond, two populations of fish are found; one reproduces through sexual reproduction, the other through parthenogenesis. Initially, the parthenogenetic fish are a larger population when the pond is first studied. However, researchers soon observe that the parthenogenetic fish are more frequent hosts for a new blood-borne parasite than the sexually reproducing fish. As a result, the sexually reproducing population increases and the parthenogenetic population decreases.
Which of the following best explains the reason for the shift in population numbers?

  1. Sexual reproduction increases genetic variation. Some individuals in the sexually reproducing population will be adapted to a change in environment, in this case, the addition of a new parasite. These individuals will survive and reproduce at a higher rate than those affected by the parasite.

  2. The asexual fish are more susceptible to the parasites because they are an all female population, and typically less aggressive. The sexually reproducing population is protected by aggressive adult males fighting off the invading parasites.

  3. The asexually reproducing fish are intentionally reducing their population density as a mechanism to slow the spread of the parasite.

  4. The sexually reproducing population can reproduce faster than the parthenogenesis population, allowing them to produce so much offspring that not all can be affected by the new parasite.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Parthenogenetic fish are produced by asexual reproduction. Hence, genetic variation does not takes place in them. Whereas fishes that are produced sexually increases genetic variation. Due to genetic variation, this population can adapt to changing environment. When the pond is infected by blood-borne parasite, parthenogenetic fish could not adapt to this changed environment. However, fishes produced sexually will adapt to it. Due to genetic variation, it will survive and reproduce at a higher rate.

Thus, the correct answer is 'Sexual reproduction increases genetic variation. Some individuals in the sexually reproducing population will be adapted to a change in environment, in this case, the addition of a new parasite. These individuals will survive and reproduce at a higher rate than those affected by the parasite.'

Multiple choice zoology reproduction in organisms parthenocarpic fruits parthenogenesis the life cycle of plants

A phenomenon is termed as parthenogenesis when 

  1. Artificial fertilization occurs

  2. Egg is fertilized by a sperm

  3. Egg undergoes cleavage without fertilization

  4. Sperm dies before fertilization
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The term parthenogenesis was coined by Charles Bonnet. It is also called the virgin birth. Parthenogenesis refers to the process of formation of the organism from an unfertilized egg (it is a special type of asexual reproduction). Parthenogenesis is of the following three types:

1) Arrhenotoky: male develops parthenogenically.
2) Thelytoky: Female develops parthenogenically.
3) Amphytoky: Parthenogenesis results in any sex depending on environmental conditions.
So, considering all the information the correct answer is 'Egg undergoes cleavage without fertilization'.