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.
Esta historia es de la edición August 2022 de BBC Wildlife.
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Esta historia es de la edición August 2022 de BBC Wildlife.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
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ALL YOU EVER NEEDED TO KNOW ABOUT THE Giant panda
Cuddly-looking with highly distinctive black-and-white fur and dark ‘spectacles’, the giant panda – often referred to simply as the panda – is an undeniably popular and much-loved bear, both the national animal of China and, of course, the iconic logo of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
CRUISE CONTROL
As more people are drawn to experience the frozen frontiers, can tourism to the seventh continent be a good thing for nature?
COWS COME HOME
Tauros are the closest thing to the extinct aurochs. And they are coming to the UK.
BIG LITTLE JOURNEYS
A closer look at the smallbut-mighty animals that must travel vast distances to survive
MOUNTAIN MISSION
Canada lynx and wolverines are secretive creatures, but dedicated scientists in Montana are tracking them to inform conservation
LET'S GET TOGETHER - ROOSTING PIED WAGTAILS
Remember to look up this Christmas to enjoy gangs of pied wags' gathered in the trees
FEMALE OF THE SPECIES - REINDEER
Lucy Cooke explains why the females of this Christmas icon have antlers too
Ancient woodland still at risk from HS2
Scrapping the northern phase has spared some sites, but woodlands and reserves remain under threat
Ocean superheroes
Release of 10.000 oysters in North East England promises to improve water quality and marine life
MEET THE VOLUNTEER - Keith Dobell
The retiree cares for a park, an old railway track and a wood in his home county of Northamptonshire