AP BIOLOGY

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ANIMAL REPRODUCTION AND DEVELOPMENT

SEXUAL REPRODUCTION

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
The medusa (bell) of a jellyfish produces sperm. Another medusa produces eggs. The sperm and egg unite to form a swimming larva. The larva swims to a “good” place and then attaches itself to the bottom. It is then a polyp. The polyp grows larger and larger by budding. Finally, the polyp divides by fission to produce a new medusa that detaches and swims away.
A
Asexual reproduction
B
Sexual reproduction
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -Throughout their lifecycle, jellyfish take on two different body forms: medusa and polyps. Polyps can reproduce asexually by budding, while medusae spawn eggs and sperm to reproduce sexually.

Detailed explanation-2: -The medusa is the reproductive stage; their eggs are fertilised internally and develop into free-swimming planula larvae. After a brief period floating about in surface waters, the larvae settle to the sea floor, attaching themselves at one end. There they develop into polyps and begin to feed and grow.

Detailed explanation-3: -At the polyp stage, jellies resemble tiny anemones and reproduce asexually by strobilation. When a polyp strobilates-segmenting its body to reproduce-it releases tiny ephyra into the water.

Detailed explanation-4: -The fertilised eggs hatch into tiny free-swimming flatworms called planulae, which either develop directly into adult jellyfish or settle on rocks to form an intermediate polyp stage.

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