Despite the fact that clonal reproduction is a priori expected to be reproductively advantageous (Maynard-Smith, 1978; Bell, 1982), obligate asexual organisms are evolutionarily short lived and have ...
Parthenogenetic species are assumed to represent evolutionary dead ends, yet parthenogenesis is common in some groups of invertebrates particularly in those found in relatively constant environments.
Genetic diversity is essential to the survival of a species. It's easy enough to maintain if a species reproduces sexually; an egg and a sperm combine genetic material from two creatures into one, ...
In most vertebrates, males and females are believed to differ in terms of their investment in offspring. Dominance theory suggests that one way individuals of the sex with lower parental investment ...
Getting the job done. A female Asian water dragon (Physignathus cocincinus) produced a daughter (left) without the assistance of a male. Skip Brown/Smithsonian’s National Zoo An Asian water dragon ...
Do Rare Males Retain Reproductive Function? While most animals reproduce sexually, some species rely solely on females for parthenogenetic reproduction. Even in these species, rare males occasionally ...
Parthenogenetic rock lizards, particularly those of the genus Darevskia, represent a fascinating model for understanding the interplay between genetics and ecology. Originating from interspecific ...
Flourishing in spectacular numbers in lakes and ponds around the world, tiny creatures known as Daphnia play an essential role in freshwater ecology. Daphnia, a type of planktonic crustacean, are the ...
At an agricultural research center in Czechia, a new species that doesn’t need a mate to reproduce was discovered. Street View Image from June 2019 © 2025 Google ...