Animal
Reproduction
The following questions will
help you to review the material from the lecture, the laboratory, as
well as the text.
- What is the overall goal
and purpose of the reproductive system in animals?
- Is it a critical system
from an evolutionary standpoint?
- Define asexual
reproduction.
- What are the advantages
with asexual reproduction? Disadvantages?
- Briefly describe the
processes of fission, budding and fragmentation and how these
exemplify asexual reproduction?
- Define the process of
parthenogenesis (use aphids and whiptail lizards as examples).
- What are the advantages
with sexual reproduction? Disadvantages?
- Describe the generalized
life cycle of an animal (e.g. mice).
- Explain the concept of
hermaphroditism in animals. Can you give examples of taxa in which
this pattern is present?
- What is the difference
between external and internal fertilization?
- Describe the process of
external fertilization and give examples of taxa in which it occurs.
- Why are specialized
organs necessary to accomplish internal fertilization?
- Why is internal
fertilization a dominant reproductive theme among terrestrial
animals?
- Why do many fish eggs
have a relatively high amount of yolk?
- How does the amphibian
strategy differ from fish (if at all)?
- Which two major
reproductive strategies evolved among the reptiles in response to
the challenging terrestrial environment?
- Define and explain the
differences between ovoparity, ovoviviparity and viviparity among
animals.
- How do the reproductive
strategies of birds differ from the reptiles? How are they similar?
- Are mammals viviparous or
oviparous? Are there exceptions?
- What is the main
advantage with viviparity? Are there any disadvantages? Why did
viviparity evolve among the mammals?
- Among many mammals the
offspring is able to move and follow the parents within an hour of
birth. Is there any connection between this observation and being
viviparous?
- Does mammary glands play
any role in this process of survival? Explain.
- Briefly compare
reproductive patterns/strategies in fish, amphibians, reptiles,
birds and mammals (per lecture).
- Summarize: What
are the main characteristics and strategies of the reproductive
process in animals?
- Describe the anatomy of
the human male reproductive tract. Make a sketch. Label important
structures. What is the function of these structures?
- The prostate gland is
often a menace for many males. Why?
- Describe the structure of
the testis and the epididymis. What are the function/s of these two
structures?
- "Sperm cells are very
specialized". True or false? Defend your choice.
- Describe the composition
of semen. What is the origin and the role of the different
components?
- When do human males start
to produce sperms cells? When does the process stop in the life of a
man?
- Describe the process of
spermatogenesis in the seminiferous tubules.
- Describe the anatomy of
the human female reproductive tract. Make a sketch. Label important
structures. What is the function of these structures?
- What is the role/function
of the uterus and the endometrium within the uterus?
- Describe the process that
occurs in the ovaries of a female.
- What is the role of the
hormones LH and estrogen in the process of ovulation? Where do these
two hormones originate from?
- Why are egg cells often
so much larger than sperm cells?
