Wednesday, December 20, 2006
how many opportunities do you get to say the word "parthenogenesis" in everyday conversation?
check this out:
In an evolutionary twist, Flora the Komodo dragon has managed to become pregnant all on her own without any male help. She is carrying seven baby Komodo dragons.
"We were blown away when we realized what she'd done," said Kevin Buley, a reptile expert at Flora's home at the Chester Zoo in this town in northern England. "But we certainly won't be naming any of the hatchlings Jesus."
Other reptile species reproduce asexually in a process known as parthenogenesis. But Flora's virginal conception, and that of another Komodo dragon earlier this year at the London Zoo, are the first time it has been documented in a Komodo dragon.
The reptiles, renowned for their intelligence, are native to Indonesia. They are the world's largest lizards and have no natural predators — making them on par with sharks and lions at the pinnacle of the animal kingdom.
The cases of Flora and the London lizard, Sungai, are described in a paper published Thursday in Nature.
Parthenogenesis is a process in which eggs become embryos without male fertilization. It has been seen in about 70 species, including snakes and lizards. Scientists are unsure whether female Komodo dragons have always had this latent ability to reproduce or if this is a new evolutionary development.
Cool.
check this out:
In an evolutionary twist, Flora the Komodo dragon has managed to become pregnant all on her own without any male help. She is carrying seven baby Komodo dragons.
"We were blown away when we realized what she'd done," said Kevin Buley, a reptile expert at Flora's home at the Chester Zoo in this town in northern England. "But we certainly won't be naming any of the hatchlings Jesus."
Other reptile species reproduce asexually in a process known as parthenogenesis. But Flora's virginal conception, and that of another Komodo dragon earlier this year at the London Zoo, are the first time it has been documented in a Komodo dragon.
The reptiles, renowned for their intelligence, are native to Indonesia. They are the world's largest lizards and have no natural predators — making them on par with sharks and lions at the pinnacle of the animal kingdom.
The cases of Flora and the London lizard, Sungai, are described in a paper published Thursday in Nature.
Parthenogenesis is a process in which eggs become embryos without male fertilization. It has been seen in about 70 species, including snakes and lizards. Scientists are unsure whether female Komodo dragons have always had this latent ability to reproduce or if this is a new evolutionary development.
Cool.
# posted by antiprincess @ 4:10 PM 
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Wow!
and then of course there are oysters, who need each other to procreate but each naturally transition from male to female (and back again? can't remember)...
ah, nature.
and then of course there are oysters, who need each other to procreate but each naturally transition from male to female (and back again? can't remember)...
ah, nature.
Even though Flora's fans think she is the No. 1 Dragon Lady, I'm sure that Focus on the Family would say that she's just another unwed mother. And with all those kids, you just know she's gonna end up on welfare.
For any other members of the religious right who visit here: yes, there is a beast slouching towards Bethlehem, but it most assuredly is not Flora.
Thanks, antiprincess.
For any other members of the religious right who visit here: yes, there is a beast slouching towards Bethlehem, but it most assuredly is not Flora.
Thanks, antiprincess.
# posted by 
: 5:40 AM
: 5:40 AM
does anyone remember a band from the early 90s called Shriekback?
big black nemesis
parthenogenisis
everybody happy as the dead come home...
big black nemesis
parthenogenisis
everybody happy as the dead come home...
Parthogenesis is awesome. It occasionally happens in mammals. Not often, but Dad (a veterinarian) told me of calf that was conceived that way, can you call it conception?
The problem with it is the same problem that comes from inbreeding-the flawed genes are doubled and you get rather bad defects. Sexual reproduction is a good plan.
The problem with it is the same problem that comes from inbreeding-the flawed genes are doubled and you get rather bad defects. Sexual reproduction is a good plan.
>It occasionally happens in mammals. Not often, but Dad (a veterinarian) told me of calf that was conceived that way, can you call it conception?>
It DOES? It DID? REALLY? How???
It DOES? It DID? REALLY? How???
Worrrrrrrrrrrd. I'm totally coming back as a Komodo dragon in my next life.
>It occasionally happens in mammals. Not often, but Dad (a veterinarian) told me of calf that was conceived that way, can you call it conception?>
It DOES? It DID? REALLY? How???
For reals! RT, how does that work? The coolest mammal procreative trivia I know is that a a preganant kangaroo, if there's a drought and not enough resources, can STOP THE PREGNANCY for up to two years. And then start it again! How fucking cool is that?
>It occasionally happens in mammals. Not often, but Dad (a veterinarian) told me of calf that was conceived that way, can you call it conception?>
It DOES? It DID? REALLY? How???
For reals! RT, how does that work? The coolest mammal procreative trivia I know is that a a preganant kangaroo, if there's a drought and not enough resources, can STOP THE PREGNANCY for up to two years. And then start it again! How fucking cool is that?
# posted by : 11:24 AM
: 11:24 AM
the egg starts to develop into a xygote, duplicates itself creating 2 sets of dna, and goes from there. The resulting critter is essentially an identical twin of itself. It doesn't often happen resulting in a whole and normal offspring. Most often the embryo or developing fetus is spontaneously aborted, and post-mortem is found to have significant defects. But, every once in a while, you'll get one. They are always female.
There's a Dance.
The Gothic Hokey Pokey, even. None of those goth dances are all that complicated, mostly because if you had rhythm you wouldn't be goth.
You do a standard goth move during the verses. If you're REALLY advanced at Goth dancing then you do The "Molly Wringwald in The Breakfast Club" kick. Then, for the chorus, you stand totally still, point into the air with your right arm (like in the video) and lip sync, then you touch your left shoulder on "dead," then touch the right shoulder on "come," then go back to pointing on "home."
Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
It's not spectacular unless you get a whole club of pale dorks to do it unison.
Eventually we started doing The Macarena to it, though.
The Gothic Hokey Pokey, even. None of those goth dances are all that complicated, mostly because if you had rhythm you wouldn't be goth.
You do a standard goth move during the verses. If you're REALLY advanced at Goth dancing then you do The "Molly Wringwald in The Breakfast Club" kick. Then, for the chorus, you stand totally still, point into the air with your right arm (like in the video) and lip sync, then you touch your left shoulder on "dead," then touch the right shoulder on "come," then go back to pointing on "home."
Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
It's not spectacular unless you get a whole club of pale dorks to do it unison.
Eventually we started doing The Macarena to it, though.
OK - I am now going to practice that dance alone in my room all night long.
so don't watch me.
stop it.
I'm serious.
so don't watch me.
stop it.
I'm serious.
I think I saw Flora saluting in that video.
Goths don't need rhythm to dance? Yet again, I'm left to wonder how I've missed out on the Goth scene.
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Goths don't need rhythm to dance? Yet again, I'm left to wonder how I've missed out on the Goth scene.
# posted by : 3:02 AM
: 3:02 AM << Home
