noun
- Sexual reproduction in which the two gametes (sex cells) differ in size, form, or behavior; fusion of unequal gametes.
Usage: biology; technical term
Examples
- Anisogamy is common in many algae and fungi, where one gamete is larger than the other.
- In anisogamy, the smaller, more mobile gamete is typically called the male gamete.
- The transition from isogamy to anisogamy represents an important evolutionary development in sexual reproduction.
- Many protists exhibit anisogamy as their primary mode of sexual reproduction.
- Anisogamy allows for greater efficiency in reproduction compared to isogamy in certain organisms.