Which type of cleavage is characteristic of the Drosophila melanogaster (insect) embryo, where the nuclei divide in a common cytoplasm before cell membranes form?
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Correct answer: Superficial cleavage
In most insects, the high concentration of yolk in the center of the egg restricts cleavage to the cytoplasmic rim. This results in a syncytial blastoderm stage where nuclei share a common cytoplasm before cellularization.
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