Genomes have numbers of homologous somatic chromosomes {ploidy}, such as haploid and diploid. Triploid organisms have three. Tetraploid organisms have four. For sex-linked chromosomes, ploidy can differ between males and females.
Cells {haploid}| can have one chromosome set, rather than two. Sperm and egg cells {germ cell} are haploid. Bacteria have one gene copy, because they are asexual. However, they have as many different traits and trait variations as sexual organisms.
Somatic cells {diploid}| can have two chromosome sets. Sexual reproduction contributes one chromosome set from each parent.
Many organisms have more than two chromosome sets {polyploidy}|. Haploids and diploids can make extra chromosomes or chromosome parts. Insects typically have more than two chromosome sets.
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Date Modified: 2022.0225