What does the term "parthenogenesis" mean?
Q: What does the term "parthenogenesis" mean?
A: Parthenogenesis is a term in biology that means virgin birth. It is an asexual form of reproduction where females lay eggs without fertilization by a male.
Q: Does parthenogenesis occur in both plants and animals?
A: Yes, parthenogenesis occurs in both plants and animals and is much less common than sexual reproduction.
Q: Are there any examples of vertebrates that reproduce through parthenogenesis?
A: Yes, there are over 80 species of unisex reptiles, amphibians and fishes in nature for which males are no longer a part of the reproductive process.
Q: Can some plants or animals reproduce either sexually or asexually?
A: Yes, some plants and animals can reproduce either sexually or asexually. A good example are the aphids (e.g., greenfly) which multiply parthenogenetically during the height of summer but turn to sexual reproduction as the weather gets worse.
Q: Is there an order of rotifers that reproduces entirely by parthenogenesis?
A: Yes, there is an entire order of rotifers called Bdelloid rotifers where males have never been found - this is the largest taxonomic category to reproduce entirely by parthenogenesis.
Q: Are there other types of asexual reproduction besides parthenogenesis?
A: Yes, other types of asexual reproduction exist such as cloning produced by many Hydrozoa (for example, many corals), colonies growing not by laying eggs but by budding off new individuals, and reproduction by splitting common in several phyla such as echinoderms and sponges.
