In article <loats1.749942282 at husc9> loats1 at husc9.harvard.edu (James Loats) writes:
>johnreed at stein1.u.washington.edu (John Reed) 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
>>opinions as to why this has not occured.
>>Well, my own opinion as to why this has/would not occur is more for
>physiological than "evolutionary" reasons: males don't do parthenogenesis
>because if they did, they'd be called females. My understanding is that
>"male" and "female" are defined in general by the relative motility of
>their gametes (i.e. "sperm/pollen" are motile, "eggs/ova" are not), and
>consequently, in those species which "give birth", by who bears the young
>or lays the egg.
>>>My last question is simply: in
>>what types of organisms does parthanogenesis occur? I know it occurs in
>>insects, what about other arthropods, plants (I believe it does), other
>>animals, fungi? Thanks for any replies.
>>As far as plants go, I think the runners that plants such as strawberries
>and (I think?) grasses put forth by way of asexual reproduction are
>considered a form of parthenogenesis. There is also a species of lizard
>that parthenogeneses (would that be the verb form?). Probably there are
>more but I don't know of any.
>>>--------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>John Reed
>>>--jim
>>--
>Jim Loats * "I pass the test. I shall diminish,
>loats1 at husc.harvard.edu * and go into the West, and remain
>Bacterial Motor Works--the * Galadriel."
>Ultimate Swimming Machine! * -- J.R.R. Tolkien
