Parthenogenesis

By Priscila Santa Rosa

(Noun. /par-theh-no-JEH-ne-sis/) 

What does it mean? 

Parthenogenesis is a type of asexual reproduction in animals where the egg can develop without being fertilized by a sperm. Parthenogenetic embryos have no father, which means that they have the genetic material only from the mother. Parthenogenesis is a common type of reproduction in some species of invertebrates like bees, wasps, scorpions, and ants; In vertebrates, parthenogenesis does not occur often, but it has been reported in lizards, snakes, and birds. 

A Komodo dragon born by parthenogenesis at Chester Zoo in Cheshire, England (2008). Image source.

A Komodo dragon born by parthenogenesis at

Chester Zoo in Cheshire, England (2008). Image source.

How do I use it in a sentence?

The New England Aquarium reported an anaconda giving birth to babies that developed by parthenogenesis

Etymology

The term is derived from two Greek words: parthenos (virgin) and genesis (origin), together meaning “the birth from a virgin.”

Fields of study in which this word is commonly used

Biology, entomology, genetics, herpetology, ornithology 

Edited by Anna Wheless and Emma Goldberg