Why is meiosis called reduction division? Describe the various stages with relevant diagrams. Add a note on significance of meiosis.

Meiosis is called reduction division because the number of chromosomes in the daughter cells are half that of the parent cell.

Significance of Meiosis:

1. Meiosis reduces the chromosome number to half in the daughter cells of the gamete forming cells. This helps maintains a constant chromosome number for a species when zygote is formed

2. During meiotic division variations occur due to crossing over between maternal and paternal chromosomes or the homologous pair during Prophase I of meiosis I.

3. Further the random combinations of maternal and paternal chromosomes during Anaphase I leads to a distinct chromosomal composition in all the 4 daughter cells.

4. The variations thus produced leads to evolution