Question

Which of the following animals can regenerate its broken body part?
A) Cockroach
B) Frog
C) Sparrow
D) Starfish

Answer 1

Hint: Regeneration is the natural process in which the replacing of the damaged cells, tissues, organs and even the entire body can take place. It occurs both in plants and animals. This process is useful in therapeutics and also in treating several injuries and diseases.

Complete answer:
All the living beings present on the earth are capable of regeneration, may it be the smallest bacteria or human beings. In human beings, the dead and damaged cells are regenerated. It can be of two types: complete regeneration in which the regenerated tissue formed is the same as that lost.

In case of incompleteness where different tissues are formed after regeneration. Mammals are capable of regenerating lost cells or tissues but not organs. Regeneration is a type of asexual cellular process. In the case of hydra, the lost part is regenerated. The cells regenerate back to their original state after injury.

Several species of Echinoderms can even regenerate their lost arm. For example, starfish. They shed their limbs to capture prey. After the limb is lost, it regenerates. The losing limb is also used as a defense mechanism against predators.

Cockroach- The cockroach can live with one or two limbs broken. The regeneration of new limbs takes place in 3-5 months. Although a cockroach cannot regenerate all of its body parts like it cannot regenerate its head.

Frog- The frogs belong to the class amphibians. The young frog or the tadpole has the ability to regenerate its tail but after the frog matures, it cannot regenerate its body parts.

Sparrow- Sparrow belongs to the class aves. The aves do not have the ability of a generation of body parts. They can regenerate their hairs, feathers etc.

Thus the correct answer is option ‘D’.

Note: In case of mammals only cellular and physiological regeneration takes place. Some examples of regeneration in mammals are hairs, skin, antlers in case of deer, nails etc. Some of the species of reptiles have high regenerative capacity.