Final answer:
Meiosis is the type of cellular division that accounts for the greatest amount of genetic variation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of cellular division that accounts for the greatest amount of genetic variation is meiosis.
Meiosis is a specialized form of cell division that occurs in sex cells (gametes). During meiosis, the number of chromosomes is halved, resulting in four daughter cells that are genetically different from each other and from the original parent cell. This process promotes genetic diversity by allowing for the shuffling and recombination of genetic material through crossing over and independent assortment of chromosomes.
On the other hand, mitosis and cytokinesis result in the production of genetically identical daughter cells that have the same number of chromosome sets as the parent cell. Binary fission, which occurs in bacterial cells, also produces genetically identical offspring as the single loop of DNA is replicated and divided equally between the two daughter cells.