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The Importance Of Reproduction In Species

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Reproduction is the way in which a species produces new individuals, passing down their genetic code to subsequent generations. Reproduction is vital in maintaining a viable population number and allowing evolution to take place. Evolution occurs through sexual reproduction. Animals, for the most part, reproduce sexually, whereas plants reproduce through either sexual or asexual means. Asexual reproduction needs only one organism, while sexual reproduction requires two organisms. For sexual reproduction to take place, it is necessary to attract mates, if you’re an animal, or pollinators, if you’re a plant. In order to attract mates, animals tend to produce external hormones called pheromones. It is these chemicals that often alert an animal …show more content…

The pheromones of female fruit flies (Drosophilae) act as attractants for male fruit flies. Male pheromones seem to have an anti-aphrodisiac effect on other males, reducing their competition and increasing their chances of sexual reproduction (Borne et al., 2017). The pheromone released by the queen honeybee (Apis mellifera) in a colony is produced in the MG and is often referred to as the “queen substance” or “queen pheromone”. This pheromone atrophies the ovaries of fellow female bees, preventing them from being able to sexually reproduce with male bees. Similar “queen pheromones” have been found in other insects, such as ants (Hymenoptera formicidae) (Karlson and Butenandt, 1959). This is known as eusociality, in which the majority of the colony consists of females that don’t breed. Eusociality reduces conflict as the females are not competing for mates, and they can all help to rear the young. The honeybee’s “queen pheromone” has been found to be distributed by worker bees that have been in contact with her, particularly those that have had contact for more than thirty seconds. This is vital in maintaining eusociality and ovary atrophy, as approximately only 35% of worker bees come into contact with the queen bee within any given ten-hour period (Seeley, 1979). The effects that pheromones have on the behaviour and physiology of animals is also significant in understanding mating rituals and sexual

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