Question

At certain times of the year, male and female brittle stars release sperm and eggs into the ocean. However, they can reproduce at other times too, by splitting in half and growing new body parts. This ability to regenerate can also help a brittle star escape a predator.

The queen honey bee mates once to collect all the sperm she will need in her lifetime. Back at the hive, she uses the sperm to fertilize some eggs while leaving others unfertilized. Fertilized eggs become female, and unfertilized eggs become male. One chosen female will be raised as the new queen.

What types of reproduction are possible for these organisms?

A. Only asexual reproduction is possible for both brittle stars and honey bees.

B. Only asexual reproduction is possible for brittle stars, only sexual reproduction is possible for honey bees.

C. Both asexual and sexual reproduction are possible for both brittle stars and honey bees.

D. Only sexual reproduction is possible for both brittle stars and honey bees.

Answer 1

the brittle star is producing gamete this indicates they can reproduce sexually. on the other hand, they are able to reproduce by fragmentation or fission, a type of asexual reproduction. So brittle star has both sexual and asexual mode of reproduction.

Bees reproduce sexually when they fertilize their egg with sperm to make females while reproducing asexually when the unfertilized egg develops into the male drone which is haploid.

So option C ( both sexual and asexual reproduction is possible for both brittle star and honey bee) is correct.