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External fertilization

 

 
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External fertilization
 
 
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External fertilization is a form of fertilization in which a sperm cell is united with an egg cell external to the body of the female. Thus, the fertilization is said to occur "externally". This is distinct from internal fertilization
Internal fertilization

Internal Fertilization is a form of fertilization of an egg by within the body of an animal, whether female or hermaphrodite. This is distinct from external fertilization, where the union of the ova and spermatozoa occur outside of the organism....
 where the union of the egg and sperm occur inside the female after insemination
Insemination

Insemination is the introduction of spermatozoon into the female uterus of a mammal or the oviduct of an oviparous during copulation with another animal....
 through copulation.

In sexual reproduction
Sexual reproduction

Sexual reproduction is characterized by processes that pass a Genetic recombination of Genetics material to offspring, resulting in Genetic diversity....
, there must be some way of getting the sperm to the egg. Since sperm are designed to be mobile in a watery environment, aquatic animals can make use of the water in which they live.






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External fertilization is a form of fertilization in which a sperm cell is united with an egg cell external to the body of the female. Thus, the fertilization is said to occur "externally". This is distinct from internal fertilization
Internal fertilization

Internal Fertilization is a form of fertilization of an egg by within the body of an animal, whether female or hermaphrodite. This is distinct from external fertilization, where the union of the ova and spermatozoa occur outside of the organism....
 where the union of the egg and sperm occur inside the female after insemination
Insemination

Insemination is the introduction of spermatozoon into the female uterus of a mammal or the oviduct of an oviparous during copulation with another animal....
 through copulation.

In sexual reproduction
Sexual reproduction

Sexual reproduction is characterized by processes that pass a Genetic recombination of Genetics material to offspring, resulting in Genetic diversity....
, there must be some way of getting the sperm to the egg. Since sperm are designed to be mobile in a watery environment, aquatic animals can make use of the water in which they live. In many aquatic animals such as coral
Coral

Corals are marine organisms from the class Anthozoa and exist as small sea anemone?like polyps, typically in colonies of many identical individuals....
 or hydra
Hydra (genus)

Hydra is a genus of simple fresh-water animals possessing symmetry #Radial symmetry. Hydras are predatory animals belonging to the phylum Cnidaria and the class Hydrozoa....
, eggs and sperm are simultaneously shed into the water, and the sperm swim through the water to fertilize the egg in a process known as broadcast fertilization. In many fish species, including salmon, the female will deposit unfertilized eggs in the substrate and the male will swim by and fertilize them.

Many land plants make use of external fertilization as well.