In article <1993Oct14.214739.11584 at alw.nih.gov> Jim Owens <jow at helix.nih.gov> writes:
>In article <28v7ou$f8d at news.u.washington.edu> John Reed,
>johnreed at stein1.u.washington.edu writes:
>>I am interest in knowing whether parthanogenesis has evolved in the male
>>sex of any species. I would presume not, for evolutionary reasons, but
>I
>>would like to know for sure. I would also like to know other peoples
>>Stand by for a statement from the village idiot:
>>I think the reason parthenogenesis is noted only in females is
>linguistic. Parthenogenesis was by definition reserved for females when
>I was a lad. In males it was called androgenesis. My memory is a bit
>dim on this because the article I am recalling was read about 35 years
>ago. I cannot recall if "androgenesis" was just a linguistic alternative
>to parthenogenesis.
>>Parthenogenesis is derived from the Greek for "virgin birth." I never
>took classical Greek and do not have access to a Greek grammer text, but
>my guess is that parthenos is feminine. The Parthenon was the temple
>devoted to the virgin-goddess Athena.
>>A quick check with a very large Webster's in a lab downstairs has
>confirmed my idea about parthenos being a word that applied to maidens.
>However, androgenesis is defined as "male parthenogenesis" and is
>contrasted with gynogenesis as the female form of parthenogenesis. You
>learn something everyday!
>>Jim Owens
>_______________________________________________________
>The Secretary will deny any connection to me if I am caught.
Parthenos, maiden. Gune, woman. Aner, plural Andres, man.
Makes sense... -Alberto-
