Which form of asexual reproduction involves offspring that begin as a growth on the parent's body?

• A. Budding
• B. Fragmentation
• C. Parthenogenesis
• D. Self-fertilization

Answer: (A)

Budding is a form of asexual reproduction in which the offspring begins as a growth on the parent's body. A small bud forms and grows by cell division and nutrient transfer until it becomes an independent organism (or remains attached in a colony, depending on the species). This key feature—the new individual starting as a localized outgrowth on the parent—distinguishes budding from other forms. Fragmentation involves the organism breaking into pieces that each become a new individual; parthenogenesis is development of an embryo from an unfertilized egg; self-fertilization is a sexual process where fertilization occurs within the same individual.