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Feminism: Sex and gender discussions

Uruguayan Praying Mantises and thelytoky

11 replies

ArabellaScott · 01/05/2024 08:15

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/parthenogenesis-uruguay-stick-mantis-insect

'In the reproductive strategy known as thelytoky, or thelytokous parthenogenesis, females produce eggs that are essentially clones of the mother and don’t require male sperm to be fertilized. Once the eggs hatch and the female clones emerge, the cycle repeats. Rare in vertebrates except for a handful of fish, reptile, and amphibian species, thelytoky is more common among invertebrates and offers many benefits.
“Insects that reproduce via thelytoky don’t have to waste time or energy finding a male. They get to avoid physical costs that are often associated with mating, and they have increased colonization ability. It only takes one female to create a new population,” says Soleille Miller, a researcher at the University of New South Wales who has studied parthenogenesis in the peppermint stick insect.'

Found this fascinating!

The Mystery of Uruguay's Ferocious, All-Female Cannibal Insects

The small-winged stick mantis is found throughout South America's grasslands. But in Uruguay, the population is entirely female.

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/parthenogenesis-uruguay-stick-mantis-insect

OP posts:
MrsWhattery · 01/05/2024 08:31

Yes it’s so interesting! Sometime animals that don’t normally do it will suddenly do it in captivity when there’s no male around. I think recently an anaconda was found to have got herself pregnant! Lots of species do both too - so the species can survive by parthenogenesis but then if there is a male around they will mate instead.

Ereshkigalangcleg · 01/05/2024 08:31

It is! What's the point of the male?

Ereshkigalangcleg · 01/05/2024 08:31

Stick insect, not males in general Grin

MrsWhattery · 01/05/2024 08:32

To add genetic variation - two parents means a mixture of genes and so more protection against diseases etc.

MrsWhattery · 01/05/2024 08:33

In some species there are only females. Not sure about stick insects but it’s true for some lizards.

WhereYouLeftIt · 01/05/2024 08:44

If a species is composed of clones, all it takes is one disease they are susceptible to, and - hello, extinction! Hence sexual reproduction, natural variation and survival of the species.

MrsWhattery · 01/05/2024 08:45

I think I read that the lizards have a single-sex version of recombination but I’m not sure how.

MrsWhattery · 01/05/2024 08:57

Cloning will also introduce variation through copying mutations. There are lots of asexual species. But sex evolved because it adds more variation between individuals.

Kucinghitam · 01/05/2024 08:58

MrsWhattery · 01/05/2024 08:45

I think I read that the lizards have a single-sex version of recombination but I’m not sure how.

Here's an example. In this species, they do it by starting out with double the number of chromosomes, then recombining the sister chromosomes. Figure 3 has a handy diagram.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2840635/

Sister Chromosome Pairing Maintains Heterozygosity in Parthenogenetic Lizards

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2840635/

Helleofabore · 01/05/2024 09:00

It is fascinating. But not when you find out by having your stick insect population go from one to a bazillion overnight and the tiny stick insects have escaped the netting covering your tank!

MarieDeGournay · 01/05/2024 10:40

Quick, somebody tell Petronella “Feminism has left middle-aged women like me single, childless and depressed” Wyatt! Perhaps she could identify as an Uruguayan Praying Mantis?

'Thelytokous parthenogenesis' - gosh I love FWR! every day a schooldaySmile

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