What term is used to describe the splitting of an organism's body into two identical parts?

The term that describes the splitting of an organism's body into two identical parts is fission. This process is commonly observed in certain unicellular organisms, such as bacteria and some protozoans, where the organism divides into two separate entities that are genetically identical to the original.

During fission, the cell's DNA is replicated, and the cellular components are divided into two, resulting in two daughter cells that can grow and function independently. This method of asexual reproduction allows for rapid population increase in favorable conditions, making it a highly efficient strategy for survival and colonization.

In contrast, budding refers to a process where a new organism develops from an outgrowth or "bud" on the parent organism, which eventually detaches. Fragmentation involves an organism breaking into pieces, where each piece can grow into a new organism, while sporulation is the process of forming spores, which are specialized cells that can develop into new individuals under suitable conditions. These definitions highlight the uniqueness of fission as a means of reproduction that results in two identical organisms.