Biology 1002B Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Pseudocopulation, Cnemidophorus, Plant Reproductive Morphology
9 Apr 2016
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Document Summary
One of very few vertebrates that are able to reproduce asexually. Still court one another, and participate in pseudo-copulation. The act of pseudo-copulation is a vestigial trait: recent descendant of ancestors who reproduce sexually. Via recombination species can acquire genetic diversity: genetic diversity = new combinations of alleles. Recombination results in crossing over" exchanging genes at similar loci on chromosomes. Also new combinations of alleles via loci occurring on different chromosomes (mendel"s principle of independent assortment) Offspring are genetically distinct from either parent as well as one another (rare exception would be identical twins. : armadillo"s produce one fertilized egg, which subdivides into four. Sex is possible without reproducing: bacteria can form bridges between each other and pass along dna information, but this does not result in offspring. Reproduction is possible without sex: a lot of single-celled organisms reproduce via binary fission, mother cell divides resulting in two daughter cells, plants can send out runners, and create clones of themselves.
