AN>Jochen Katz <jkatz at math.gatech.edu> wrote in article
AN><5k2rg2$a7r at smash.gatech.edu>...
AN>> I am aware that there are certain species [plants and animals]
AN>> which do at times reproduce non-sexual, but have nevertheless
AN>> the capability of reproducing sexual and depends on the environment
AN>> which route is chosen. And as such there is the gender polarity.
AN>>
AN>> But I was wondering if there are any organisms which do reproduce
AN>> purely non-sexual? Whether "higher" species, or just microorganisms
AN>> or plants.
AN>>
AN>> I would be greatful for some information on any kind of life that
AN>> reproduces purely non-sexual and where there is only "one kind"
AN>> of it.
AN>>
AN>> I am not a regular reader on this group and would be grateful if
AN>> you could also email me your response so that I don't miss it
AN>> accidentally.
AN>>
AN>> Thank you very much.
AN>>
AN>> Jochen Katz
AN>> jkatz at math.gatech.edu
AN>>
AN>Actually, one of the students here told me that there is such a thing as a
AN>purely asexual reproducing
AN>organism. Here is the reference: Science 203: 1247-1249. 1979. It is a
AN>lizard called Cnemidophoras.
AN>Personnally I don't believe it to be possible, but this "accident" may have
AN>arrived quite late in the evolution.
AN>Unless this organism "reverts" to sexuality, it is in my view in an
AN>evolutive pitfall, if it is an asexual reproducer.
AN>Guy Tremblay
AN>tremblgu at medcn.umontreal.ca
There was an article about the several spieces of lizzards that consist
only of females in Scientific American a few years back.
