Several species of sea urchins may inhabit the same tide pool and their reproductive periods overlap.Although they practice external fertilization,they seldom interbreed because eggs produce chemicals that are only attractive to sperm of their own species.This is an example of a _________ barrier involving ________________.

Question

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This scenario represents a prezygotic barrier, meaning that it prevents the formation of a zygote (fertilized egg). The barrier in question is gametic isolation, whereby the chemicals released by the eggs of one species only attract sperm from their own species. This prevents the sperm of other species from fertilizing the eggs, thus creating a reproductive barrier between the different sea urchin species present in the tide pool.

Several Species of Sea Urchins May Inhabit the Same Tide