Question

The hydra is a very small, simple animal that lives in water. Hydras reproduce asexually by budding, a process in which a bud breaks off an adult hydra and floats away. Which of the following best describes a hydra bud?

A) A hydra bud contains genetic material from its two parents.
B) A hydra bud has different mutations than the parent hydra.
C) A hydra bud is genetically identical to the parent hydra.
D) A hydra bud has half as much genetic material as the parent hydra.​

Answer 1

C) A hydra bud is genetically identical to the parent hydra

Step-by-step explanation:

A hydra bud is genetically identical to the parent hydra. This is because hydras reproduce by budding, which is a type of asexual reproduction. In asexual reproduction, the offspring are genetically identical to the parent.

So, the answer is C.

The other options are incorrect:

• (A) Hydra buds do not contain genetic material from two parents because hydras reproduce asexually.
• (B) Hydra buds do not have different mutations than the parent hydra unless a mutation occurs during the budding process.
• (D) Hydra buds have the same amount of genetic material as the parent hydra because they are genetically identical.

Therefore, the best description of a hydra bud is that it is genetically identical to the parent hydra.