Rotifera reproduction is which of the following?

• A. Sexual and asexual (pathogenetically)
• B. Sexual only
• C. Asexual only
• D. Parthenogenesis only

Answer: (A)

Rotifers use two main reproductive strategies, often in a cycle: parthenogenesis and sexual reproduction. In favorable conditions, females can reproduce asexually by parthenogenesis, making daughters from unfertilized eggs and allowing rapid population growth. When conditions worsen or other cues appear, males are produced and fertilization occurs, yielding sexually derived eggs that can hatch into new individuals or become diapausing eggs that survive harsh environments. Because they employ both sexual and asexual routes, the best description is that reproduction is both sexual and asexual (parthenogenetic). The term parthenogenesis refers to the asexual route, which is the form rotifers commonly use alongside occasional sexual reproduction.