Reproduction is the biological process by which new individual organisms are produced from their

parents. There are two forms of reproduction: sexual, where organisms are formed by combining the
genetic material of two organisms and asexual by which offspring arise from a single organism. Sexual
reproduction in animals involves the fusion of sperm and egg cell while in plants it involves the fusion of
egg cell and pollen grains. Asexual reproduction only involves the splitting of the parent cell or
formation of buds or fragments, giving rise to two or more offspring.

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Binary
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Hydra

Hydra can reproduce both sexually and asexually. They reproduce asexually by budding, during warm
weather and when food is plentiful. They produce buds in their body wall, which then develops into
miniature adults. They later break away when they mature. They produce sexually during autumn and in
poor feeding conditions. Swellings in the body wall develop into either a simple ovary or testes. The
testes release gametes into the water, which can fertilize the egg in the ovary of another individual. The
formed zygotes divide rapidly and form balls of cells. These secrete a tough outer coating. When the
parent dies, these eggs are dropped off and spend winter in the mud, pond or lake and when better
conditions come or when the water warms up in the spring, they break through their outer coating and
mature into a new Hydra.
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydra_%28genus%29

http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/H/Hydra.html

https://valentinabiology.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/hydra-
structure-and-function/

https://alinaklineschoder.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/reproduction
-and-inheritance-of-the-hydra/

tubular body- where the bud begins to form

body wall- where the development of either or both ovary and

testes occurs

testes- produces sperms. Many sperms

ovary- produce only a single egg

sperm meets development

release of release of the
egg in female of the
sperm egg
hydra embryo

tentacle beginning of Breaking off

beginning of
begin to separation of of the New
bud
grow new hyddra Hydra:
Reproduction and Inheritance of the Hydra

November 15, 2011

The hydra is very interesting, it generally reproduces asexually by developing buds off of the main body
that eventually break away from the original hydra to form a new one, but it also sexually reproduces.

This illustration shows the sexual reproduction cycle of the hydra. (http://www.cabrillo.edu)

Hydra Sexual Reproduction occurs often in harsh environments or ones without an excess of food:

1. Budding: The first step in the hydra reproduction cycle is the budding, during this step the Hydra
becomes ready to reproduce. (?)

2. Release of Sperm: The second step in this cycle is the release of the sperm from the male hydra. The
sperm is released out of the males gonad, which is a sexual organ used for development of the sperm in
male hydra.

3. Sperm Meets Egg in Female Hydra: The next step in this cycle is when the sperm meets the egg in a
gonad also known as the ovaries of a female hydra making a fertilized egg.

4. Release of the Egg: The next step of this cycle is the release of the egg, the female hydra releases the
egg generally as she begins to die.

5. Development of the Embryo: The final step of this process is the development of the embryo, first it
grows to become a encapsulated embryo, before becoming a young polyp and eventually once again a
budding hydra.

Sexual Reproduction
Sexual reproduction is the combination of (usually haploid, or having a single set of unpaired
chromosomes) reproductive cells from two individuals to form a third (usually diploid, or having a pair of
each type of chromosome) unique offspring. Sexual reproduction produces offspring with novel
combinations of genes. This can be an adaptive advantage in unstable or unpredictable environments.
As humans, we are used to thinking of animals as having two separate sexes, male and female,
determined at conception. However, in the animal kingdom, there are many variations on this theme.

Hermaphroditism

Hermaphroditism occurs in animals where one individual has both male and female reproductive parts.
Invertebrates, such as earthworms, slugs, tapeworms and snails, are often hermaphroditic.
Hermaphrodites may self-fertilize or may mate with another of their species, fertilizing each other and
both producing offspring. Self fertilization is common in animals that have limited mobility or are not
motile, such as barnacles and clams.

Source: Boundless. “Asexual Reproduction and Sexual Reproduction.” Boundless Biology. Boundless, 05
Mar. 2015. Retrieved 15 Apr. 2015 from https://www.boundless.com/biology/textbooks/boundless-
biology-textbook/animal-reproduction-and-development-43/reproduction-methods-237/asexual-
reproduction-and-sexual-reproduction-885-12136/

Hydra asexual reproduction of the hydra occurs generally in environments with an excess of food:

1. Beginning of Bud: The first step of the hydra asexual reproduction is the begining of the bud, during
this process, the first signs of a bud begin to show.

2. Tenticles Begin to Grow: This is the next step in this process, the tenticles and the mouth of the new
hydra begin to develop.

3. Beginning of Separation of New Hydra: This next step is the process of the begining of separation of
the bud from the original hydra. At this step the new hydra is generally around one half the size of the
parent.

4. Breaking off of the New Hydra: This is the final step in the hydra asexual reproduction cycle, during
this step the new hydra breaks off from the parent, making an entirely new hydra, this new hydra is
generally 3/5 of the size of the new hydra.
Budding

Budding is a form of asexual reproduction that results from the outgrowth of a part of a cell or body
region leading to a separation from the original organism into two individuals. Budding occurs
commonly in some invertebrate animals such as corals and hydras . In hydras, a bud forms that develops
into an adult, which breaks away from the main body; whereas in coral budding, the bud does not
detach and multiplies as part of a new colony.

Source: Boundless. “Asexual Reproduction and Sexual Reproduction.” Boundless Biology. Boundless, 05
Mar. 2015. Retrieved 15 Apr. 2015 from https://www.boundless.com/biology/textbooks/boundless-
biology-textbook/animal-reproduction-and-development-43/reproduction-methods-237/asexual-
reproduction-and-sexual-reproduction-885-12136/

extra info:

http://www.devbio.biology.gatech.edu/?page_id=484

https://www.boundless.com/biology/textbooks/boundless-biology-textbook/animal-reproduction-and-
development-43/reproduction-methods-237/asexual-reproduction-and-sexual-reproduction-885-
12136/

http://www.transtutors.com/biology-homework-help/hydra/reproduction/

https://alinaklineschoder.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/reproduction-and-inheritance-of-the-hydra/

http://www.ecospark.ca/changingcurrents/hydra
https://www.boundless.com/biology/textbooks/boundless-biology-textbook/animal-reproduction-and-
development-43/reproduction-methods-237/asexual-reproduction-and-sexual-reproduction-885-
12136/