an embryo. It gradually develops into a new individual.

The time between

Head
fertilisation and birth is called pregnancy.
In fish, frogs reptiles and birds, the embryo develops from an egg,
using food called yolk. In mammals, like man embryo grows inside the
mother's body using food from her blood.
Table 3.2 : Differences between Sperms and Eggs
Tail (flagellum)
Sperms Eggs
1. Small in size. 1. Large in size.
Fig. 3.35 ; A sperm 2. Move towards the egg. 2. Do not move much.
3. Have no stored food. 4. Have stored food.

*
m/i 3.13 GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT

-
.7
191 All living things grow and develop. Growth and development are
w
<
characteristic features of living organisms. You have seen a baby growing
*
into an adult, and a germinating seed growing into a plant.
*
During growth , there is a permanent increase in the size and weight of
organisms.
This changes in shape, size and volume of an organism occur during
.
Fig 3.36 : An ovum ( egg)
growth.
Growth occurs by ( i ) cell division which results in an increase in the
number of body cells, by cell division and
( ii ) cell growth which brings about an increase in the size of individual
cells.
In addition to growth , the body undergoes an increase in the
complexity of body structure. This is called development . During
development , the cells undergo differentiation and take up particular
functions.
Growth in plants occurs throughout life. But in animals, it is restricted
to a particular age.

3.14 METAMORPHOSIS
During development from a fertilised egg to an adult, considerable
changes occur in body structure.
In most animals, the fertilised egg develops into an embryo which
increases in size and volume and grows into an adult.
In amphibians ( e.g. frog ) and certain insects ( butterfly ) considerable
changes in body form occur between the fertilised egg and adult. The scries
of changes which transform a larva in case of insects (tadpole in frog ) into
an adult are collectively termed metamorphosis. Metamorphosis is seen in
the change from larva to butterfly and from tadpole to frog.

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