Question

During favourable conditions, the encysted amoeba divides by multiple fission and produces pseudopodia spores. This phenomenon is known as
A. Budding
B. Sporulation
C. Fragmentation
D. Regeneration

Answer 1

Hint: Microorganisms in our diversity will reproduce to make new individuals. They can either do this asexually that is without involving both the partners or sexually by involving gametes from both the parents. Evolution will cease if they stop to reproduce. Thus reproduction is very important to maintain the ecological balance.

Complete answer: Option A:
Amoeba is a unicellular prokaryote having a primitive functioning. It reproduces by asexual mode of reproduction. It has a very simple organization.
Let us read the mode of asexual methods of reproduction.
Option A: Budding: It is a type of asexual reproduction which does not involve gametes of the parents. A new organism develops from the bud of the parent due to cell division. Bud remains attached to the parent's body and gets detached when it matures.
Option B: Sporulation: The process of production of spores which will germinate into a new plant in the favourable conditions is sporulation. An example is an amoeba divided by multiple fission and produces pseudospores. In the unfavourable conditions, the amoeba develops a cyst around spores to protect it. In favourable conditions, this cyst breaks and the spores are released to generate many amoebae.
Option C: Fragmentation: It is an asexual method of reproduction. It involves breaking the parent's body into fragments and these fragments grow into a mature body.
Option D: Regeneration: It is a method of developing the lost or damaged parts of the body. Some organisms can regenerate what they have lost.

So the answer is option B: Sporulation.

Note: Spores are the unicellular haploid cells. They are produced by meiosis in sporangium of the sporophyte. By mitotic division, they can form a new individual when the favourable conditions arise. This mitotic division will give multicellular gametophytes which will produce gametes.