AN ARMY OF GRASSHOPPERS HAS taken over Australia. Marching across the continent from west to east they've conquered new lands faster than rival species. The secret to their success? They've given up sex. Warramaba virgo, the matchstick grasshopper, is an all-female species. There are no males in existence. Where most animals have two sexes that combine their genes when they reproduce, this species has evolved to cheat this fundamental process. Instead it reproduces solely by cloning (an egg can develop into an embryo without fertilisation).
She joins an exclusive female-only club that includes a bunch of other insects along with an assortment of vertebrates - fish, lizards and amphibians - and a host of spineless wonders only visible to microscope owners, but whose sex lives (or lack thereof) are exploding evolutionary paradigms.
This story is from the August 2022 edition of BBC Wildlife.
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This story is from the August 2022 edition of BBC Wildlife.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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