Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How are eggs and sperm different in oogamy?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Reproduction
Fungi produce billions of spores that give rise to new generations of fungi.
In biology, oogamy is an advanced form of heterogamy characterized by a distinct morphological difference between the two gametes involved in sexual reproduction.12
The differences between the egg and sperm in oogamy are defined by size and motility:
- The Egg: This is the larger, nonmotile female gamete. Because it is nonmotile, it does not possess structures for self-propulsion and remains stationary, awaiting fertilization.12
- The Sperm: This is the smaller, motile male gamete. In most species, the sperm is equipped with a flagellum—a whiplike tail—that allows it to move and travel toward the egg to achieve fertilization.123
This specialization is found in animals, all higher plants, and some algae and fungi, representing an evolutionary progression toward increasingly specialized reproductive cells.12