Reproduction

Deutsch: Fortpflanzung / Español: Reproducción / Português: Reprodução / Français: Reproduction / Italiano: Riproduzione

Reproduction (or procreation) refers to the biological process by which new individual organisms are produced from one or more extant organisms of the same species. Reproduction is a fundamental feature of all known life; all extant organisms exist as a result of it. There are two forms of reproduction, sexual and asexual.

In asexual reproduction, a single organism can create a genetically similar or identical copy of itself without another organism of a similar species contributing their genetic material. Asexual reproduction is not limited to single-celled organisms. Some organisms that reproduce asexually do not have different genders, but are capable of splitting into two or more copies of themselves, though some of them are also capable of reproducing sexually. Cloning may be considered a form of asexual reproduction.

In sexual reproduction, two organisms or gametes of the same species, typically one of each gender, are required to produce offspring organisms, whose genetic characteristics are derived from a mix of those of its parent organisms.