Reproductive Systems of Invertebrates
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ScribdTranslationsReproductive Systems of Invertebrates
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ScribdTranslationsIntroduction
All living beings have a limited lifespan to ensure continuity.
of life, all living beings must reproduce. Therefore, in the present work
we will address the reproductive systems, the types of reproduction, and the
comparison of the reproductive systems of invertebrates (Hydra and Planaria).
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Reproductive Systems
What is understood by reproduction?
Reproduction is the function by which living beings ensure the continuity of the species.
All living beings must reproduce, for without reproduction, there would be extinction.
of species, that is, the living beings that died would not leave descendants,
thus compromising the survival of Life on Earth. It is through the
reproduction that generates new individuals to replace those that die.
Types of reproduction
In Nature, the processes of reproduction are very varied, and in animals they occur
two forms of reproduction: asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction
Asexual reproduction
In asexual reproduction, there is no involvement of gametes, the new beings are
originated from a single parent. The most frequent cases occur through the
budding, through gemmation, fragmentation, and regeneration. There are different
forms of asexual reproduction, being possible to identify this modality in
unicellular and multicellular organisms, including even vertebrate animals.
Budding: it occurs by the formation of buds that separate from the bodies of individuals.
parents and develop independent life, but can also develop
in the place where they originated. This process is part of some bacteria, fungi,
sponges and cnidarians (hydras). It also occurs in some species of plants.
Fig.1. Budding of a hydra
The budding of a hydra is shown in Figure 1. Firstly, a
bud on the tubular body of the adult hydra. The bud develops the mouth and the tentacles and
then it detaches from the adult hydra, seeking a suitable place to stay.
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Sporulation: consists of the formation of spores, specialized cells enclosed by
a cell wall that ensures the protection of the structure. The spore, upon encountering a
suitable environment for its development, germinates and gives rise to another being. We can
observe the formation of spores, for example, in algae, plants, and fungi.
Figure 2. Reproduction of fungi by sporulation.
Fragmentation: a new organism forms from the fragment of another. This
process, common in some invertebrates, can be observed, for example, in
planarians.
Fig.3. The starfish, through fragmentation, produces two beings.
similar.
Vegetative propagation: similar to fragmentation, however, it is typical of plants.
In this process, a piece of stem or root is sufficient to give rise to another.
individual. As an example of an organism that reproduces by vegetative propagation,
we have the banana tree and sugar cane.
Fig.4. Example of vegetative propagation of a Plant
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Vegetative propagation can occur naturally or artificially. Propagation
artificial vegetative propagation is widely used in the plant trade and the techniques more
used are cutting, layering, and grafting.
Parthenogenesis: In this type of reproduction, the female gamete is capable of
develop without needing a male gamete. As an example of organisms
that reproduce in this way, we can mention bees and some species of
fish, amphibians, and reptiles.
Fig.5. Reproduction of bees
Binary division: also known as bipartition and fission, individuals
they divide in half, giving rise to two individuals of approximately the same
size. This process can be observed, for example, in protozoa and
bacteria.
Fig.6. The above figure illustrates binary fission, a type of reproduction in which a
An individual splits in half, giving rise to two.
Sexual Reproduction
In sexual reproduction, unlike asexual reproduction, there is the presence of gametes.
And for this reason, genetic variability occurs. Gametes are sex cells.
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specialized, that carry the genetic characteristics that the descendants
they will inherit. This information is located within chromosomes, found in the nucleus of the
cells. In this case, the formation of an organism different from the
parents, since it is the result of the combination of the chromosomes present in
each gamete. This type of reproduction is observed, for example, in the vast majority of
of animals, including human beings.
For example, the gametes present in animals are called sperm.
(male) and eggs (female). In plants, these cells are called
spermatids (male) and oosperms (plants). Sexual reproduction is divided into
two stages: production of gametes and fertilization.
Gamete production
Gametogenesis is the process of forming gametes, which in male animals is
called spermatogenesis in males and oogenesis (or ovulogenesis) in females.
Cell division is what gives rise to sex cells, through mitosis, which produces
identical cells to the mother cell or meiosis, with half the chromosomes of the cell
mother. In humans, the male reproductive system produces gametes in
testicles, while the female reproductive system produces the cells in the ovaries.
Fertilization
Fertilization is the process of union of the male and female gametes.
female. At this stage, the zygote is formed, also called the egg cell, which will give rise to
origin to a new being. In humans, the zygote has 46 chromosomes, 23
inheritances from your mother and 23 from your father.
With this, the descendants exhibit similarities to their progenitors, but not
are identical. Fertilization can be internal, when the male gametes are
deposited inside the female body, or externally, which consists of
in vitro fertilization.
In animals, internal fertilization can be observed in humans and the
external fertilization in fish and frogs, as they are species that release their gametes into the
environment.
Comparison of the Reproductive Systems of Invertebrates
The reproductive systems of invertebrates have varied constitutions.
Next, the reproductive systems of the platelminth cnidarians are described.
annelids and arthropods. Hydras (cnidarians) can be a different species or
monöicas. They can also reproduce
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asexually. The gametes are formed from interstitial cells. The
spermatozoa are released into the water and swim towards the eggs that
they are found next to the body of the progenitor or are also freed in the water. The gametes
they unite originating the egg or zygote, which develops and originates a new being. In
In the case of the hydra, development is direct. The embryo frees itself from the body of the hydra.
mother. The planarian (platyhelminth) is a monoecious species. In the same animal, one finds-
the testicles, male gonads, and the ovaries, female gonads.
O sistema reprodutor masculino é constituído por um órgão copulador, o pénis,
male gonads (testicles), and sperm ducts. The reproductive system
feminine is formed by female gonads (ovaries), oviducts, vitelline glands and
genital pimple.
Fertilization is internal. The eggs are laid inside capsules.
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Conclusion
At the end of this work, we conclude that reproduction is a fundamental characteristic.
two living beings through which they ensure the perpetuation of species
thus ensuring the continuity of life on Earth. We notice that in nature, the
reproductive processes are very varied and generally group into two
basic processes: asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction, and in the latter, there is
the presence of gametes and, consequently, genetic variability occurs.
Regarding invertebrate animals, it became clear that the planarian and the earthworm
they are called hermaphrodites, because in the same individual there are organs
male and female sexual.
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Bibliographic References
B12, Biology, 12th Grade, Susann Müller, Texto Editores, Lda-Mozambique
September 2020, 2nd Edition, 4th Printing.
Module 7 of Biology, Animal Physiology - evolution of nervous systems,
hormonal e player MINISTRY YES EDUCATION E
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE OF OPEN EDUCATION AND
AT A DISTANCE - IEDA
Pre-University Biology, Maria Amália Manjate, Maria Clara Rombe
Longman Mozambique, Ltd, Maputo, Mozambique, 1st Edition, 2010
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