Final answer:
Meiosis reduces the chromosome number by half and is therefore called reductional division. This process produces four haploid daughter cells from one diploid parent cell through two stages of cell division: meiosis I and meiosis II. The correct option is D.
Step-by-step explanation:
Because meiosis decreases the chromosome number by half in daughter cells, it is also called reductional division.
Meiosis is a type of cell division that specifically reduces the chromosome number by half to form haploid cells, which are cells with one chromosome from each homologous pair. This is essential for the production of gametes in sexually reproducing organisms.
During meiosis, one round of chromosome duplication is followed by two rounds of nuclear division, known as meiosis I and meiosis II.
Meiosis I is the reduction division where homologous chromosomes separate, and the resulting cells are haploid. Meiosis II resembles mitotic division, but it separates the sister chromatids of each haploid cell, resulting in four unique haploid daughter cells. The correct option is D.