fecundada

Fecundada is a term used in Spanish to describe an egg, embryo, or organism that has undergone fertilization. The adjective derives from fecundar, to fertilize, and the suffix -ada, forming a standard form used in biological descriptions. In general usage, a fertilized ovum is referred to as "huevo fecundado" and “fecundada” can describe the resulting zygote or embryo in the early stages of development.

Biologically, fertilization is the fusion of male and female gametes, producing a zygote with a complete set of chromosomes. In animals, fertilization can be internal (mammals, birds) or external (many fish, amphibians, invertebrates). In plants, fertilization occurs when pollen reaches ovules, often via a pollination mechanism, leading to seed formation after fertilization. In fungi, fertilization involves plasmogamy and karyogamy, processes that merge cytoplasm and nuclei.

The term emphasizes the transition from the unfertilized state to development potential. An unfertilized egg typically lacks the genetic combination required for normal development, though some organisms can reproduce parthenogenetically, yielding offspring from unfertilized eggs. The state of being fecundada is crucial for subsequent embryogenesis, gestation, or seed formation, depending on the organism.

See also: fertilization, zygote, parthenogenesis, seed development.