Reproductive System & Sexual Disorders: Current Research
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Parthenogenesis, a reproductive strategy that involves development of a female (rarely a male) gamete (sex cell) without fertilization. It occurs commonly among lower plants and invertebrate animals (particularly rotifers, aphids, ants, wasps, and bees) and infrequently among higher vertebrates. An egg produced parthenogenetically could also be either haploid (i.e., with one set of dissimilar chromosomes) or diploid (i.e., with a paired set of chromosomes). Parthenogenic species could also be obligate (that is, incapable of sexual reproduction) or facultative (that is, capable of switching between parthenogenesis and amphimixis depending upon environmental conditions). The term parthenogenesis is taken from the Greek words parthenos, meaning “virgin,” and genesis, meaning “origin.” quite 2,000 species are thought to breed parthenogenically.

Parthenogenesis is a natural form of asexual reproduction in which growth and development of embryos occur without fertilization by sperm. In animals, parthenogenesis means development of an embryo from an unfertilized egg cell. In plants parthenogenesis is a component process of apomixis