Dear Tom,

Dr. Campbell did mention a few: Sphaeridae (Bivalvia) are parthenogenetic,
and I once read [have to look up the reference] a paper on a fresh water
gastropod where males are extremely rare, and parthenogenesis is very likely
[if not a rule]

If the lizards don't read or understand our textbooks (rule books) and go
about life in an unexpected fashion they should be wiped out........[sorry,
joke].

So, it appears that we have an example, but this seems to be a ver rare
occasion with some "special" conditions; i.e. parthenogenesis after
hybridisation. I understand that within reptiles parthenogenesis arose
several times independantly, so why not in a hybrid..
But what I was looking for was a hybrid population of males and females
which was self sustaining, i.e. after mating, fertilisation etc. for some
generations.

Gijs


----- Original Message -----
From: "Thomas E. Eichhorst" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sunday, March 21, 2004 4:17 PM
Subject: Re: hybrids, Lambis, population


> Gijs,
>
> I believe the parthenogentic part was in reference to the hybrid that is
now
> a species.  Where I live we have Cnemidophoorus neomexicanus Lowe &
Zweifel,
> 1952 (the New Mexican whiptail lizard).  The NM whiptail is an
"allodiploid
> parthenogenotic" species that was originally created through hybridization
> between C. inornatus (the paternal parent) and C. tigris marmoratus (the
> maternal parent).  C. neomexicanus is a viable species that reproduces
> parthenogenitically - the females lay eggs that are always female.  No
males
> involved.  As for other hybrids sucessfully breeding, I believe this has
> happened in reptiles.  Sometimes these animals just don't read or
understand
> our textbooks (rule books) and go about life in an unexpected fashion.
> There are a number of parthenogenitic reptiles, but I have yet to hear of
> such in the Mollusca (a problem of observation maybe?).
>
> Tom Eichhorst in New Mexico, USA (where it was 82 degrees F yesterday, a
new
> record)
>

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