Reproduction is an essential feature of all living organisms. It is the process by which an individual multiplies in number by producing more individuals of its own type. It maintains the continuity of race by replacing old dying members and helps in increasing the total number o f individuals. Amoeba proteus does not reproduce sexually. The reproduction is essentially asexually and takes place by various methods such as binary fission, multiple fission and sporulation. Binary fission is the most common mode of reproduction. It results in the division of the parent Amoeba into two daughter amoebea. Amoeba reproduces by multiple fission during adverse environmental conditions. The animals secretes a three-layered protective, chitinous cyst around it and becomes inactive. Inside the cyst, the nucleus repeatedly divides to form several daughter nuclei, which arrange themselves near the periphery. When favourable conditions arrive, the cyst breaks off liberating the young pseudopodiospores, each with fine pseudopodia. They feed and grow rapidly to become adults and lead an independent life.
Form of reproduction present in the following animals are -
Eughna - Longitudinal binary fission
Paramecium - Transverse binary fission
Plasmodium - Multiple fission