Methods Of Reproduction

## ***Introduction:***

In both real life and No Mans Sky, there are many different ways a creature can reproduce. Some have real life counterparts on Earth, while others do not. However, all methods of reproduction can be divided up into one of three categories: No Gender, Two Genders, Or More Than Two Genders.

## ***No Genders:***

***Asymmetric -*** All members of the species have the exact same gender and can perform either side of the mating ritual. All members have both male and female reproductive organs. In some organisms, both are fertilized, while in others, there will be competition for who must take care of the children. These organisms may "Penis-fence" (Its an actual term) or try to bite of the others male reproductive organ. The winner mates with the loser, who must take care of the children.

Examples: Worms, Slugs, **Avijotun**, **Beaked Avijotun**

***Asexual Reproduction -*** All members of the species are the same gender. There are several forms of asexual reproduction.

***Binary Fission -*** the parent organism divides into two daughter organisms

Examples: Bacteria

***Budding -*** there are two types. In the first type, a smaller organism begins to bud off its parent, and then falls of to make a new organism. In the second type, two new organisms are created inside the parent, and eat the parent organism.

Examples: Yeast, Hydra, Parasitic Worms

***Vegetative Propagation -*** there are several types of vegetative propagation. Some organisms create special roots known as runners, which radiate from the parent, making new organisms. Others produce bulbs, which create new organisms. Still others can reproduce when a part of the parent organism breaks off, which grows into a new organism.

Examples: Plants

***Sporogenesis*** ***-*** the parent organism creates spores, which float to a new location and grow into new organisms.

Examples: Mushrooms

***Fragmentation -*** a part of the old organism breaks off, and grows into a new organism

Examples: Starfish

***Parthenogenesis -*** in the absence of a male, a female produces a fertilized egg which is genetically identical to the female organism.

Examples: Some sharks, some lizards

***Rational -*** All members of the species have the exact same gender. What makes this different from asymmetrical gender is that more than one creature will mate with each other, and a fraction of each parents genes goes into the child. For example, if six organisms all mate with one more organism, then 1/7th of each organisms DNA will go into the child.

Examples: None

***Symmetric -*** all organisms in a species are genetically identical. However, two organisms are still required to breed.

**Semi - Symmetric -** all organisms are genetically identical and have male and female parts.

## ***Two Genders:***

***Male and Female -*** The male organism fertilizes the female organism, and eggs are produced, which are either laid or kept internally to continue dividing into a baby organism which is given birth to. There are several types of this process.

***X -Y System -*** the male determines the sex of the offspring. Females have two X chromosomes (XX) while the male has one X and one Y chromosome (XY).

Examples: Fruit Flies, Mammals, Humans

***X - O System -*** in this system, there is only the X chromosome. The O represents the lack of an X chromosome. Males have one X chromosome (X), while females have two (XX).

Examples: Crickets, Cockroaches

***Z - W System -*** the female determines the sex of the offspring. The male has two W chromosomes (WW), while the female has one Z and one W chromosome (ZW).

Example: Birds, Fish

***No Sex Chromosomes -*** the number of chromosomes determines the sex of the organism. An organism with the diploid (full) number of chromosomes is female, while an organism with the haploid (half) number of chromosomes is male.

Example: Bees, Ants

***Polyploids -*** the male and female organism both contribute their full set of DNA to their offspring, resulting in the offspring having extra DNA, allowing it to grow bigger.

Examples: Plants

***Vectorised and Radical -*** the organism has a symbiotic relationship with a virus. The vectorized gender transmits its genetic material into a virus and the virus is dispersed. The virus infects the radical gender and transmits the genetic information into the egg, fertilizing it.

Examples: None

***Prime and Exotic -*** the prime gender stores multiple copies, or variations, of genetic material. The exotic gender mates with the prime gender and receives on of these copies of genetic material, fertilizing the offspring.

Examples: None

***Non - Uniform -*** there are male and female genders, but males can switch to become females or vice versa but lose the sexual organs of the original gender in the process.

## ***More Than Two Genders:***

In this system, there are more than two genders. One gender may fertilize a second gender. This second gender may give birth to a third gender, which gives birth to and takes care of the first two genders. There are many different ways multiple genders could work, but little research has been done on it.

Examples: Symbion Pandora