Hydra
Explanation
Budding is a mode of asexual reproduction in which a new organism develops from an outgrowth or bud due to cell division at one specific site. The new individual remains attached to the parent organism while it grows and separates only when it matures.
Option Analysis:
- Amoeba is incorrect: Amoeba typically reproduces through binary fission, where the parent organism divides into two distinct individuals.
- Hydra is correct: Hydra reproduces asexually through budding. A bud develops as an outgrowth due to repeated cell division at a specific site. This bud develops into a tiny individual and, upon maturation, detaches from the parent body to become a new independent organism.
- Frog is incorrect: Frogs reproduce through sexual reproduction, involving the fusion of gametes (external fertilization).
- Earthworm is incorrect: Earthworms reproduce through sexual reproduction. While they are hermaphrodites (possessing both male and female reproductive organs), they require a mate for cross-fertilization.
Key Takeaway:
Budding is a distinct form of asexual reproduction found in organisms such as Hydra and Yeast, characterized by the development of a new individual from a somatic outgrowth of the parent.