what type of of reproduction produces an offspring that is not identical to either parent, but shows characteristics of both parents?
sexual
The type of reproduction that produces an offspring with characteristics of both parents, but is not identical to either parent, is called sexual reproduction.
To understand this process, let's break it down into a few steps:
1. Gamete Formation: In sexual reproduction, two parents are involved, each contributing a specialized reproductive cell called a gamete. The male parent produces sperm cells, while the female parent produces egg cells.
2. Fertilization: During fertilization, a sperm cell from the male parent combines with an egg cell from the female parent. This forms a zygote, which is the first cell of the new organism.
3. Genetic Variation: The key characteristic of sexual reproduction is genetic recombination. The offspring receives a combination of genetic material from both parents through the process of meiosis, which involves the shuffling and mixing of genetic information. This leads to the creation of a unique set of genes in the offspring, resulting in new combinations of traits.
4. Offspring Development: The zygote develops into an offspring, inheriting traits from both parents. The offspring may possess a mixture of physical, physiological, and behavioral traits from its parents, leading to its distinctiveness.
It's important to note that while the offspring shows characteristics of both parents, they are not identical to either parent due to genetic recombination during sexual reproduction.