An all-female freshwater fish species called the Amazon molly that inhabits rivers and creeks along the Texas-Mexico border is living proof that sexual reproduction may be vastly over-rated. “The Amazon molly is doing quite well,” said biologist Manfred Schartl of the University of Wuerzburg in Germany. “The Amazon molly female produces clones of itself by duping a male of a closely related species to mate with her. It was a sensation when the Amazon molly was the first asexual vertebrate discovered in 1932,” Schartl said. About 50 vertebrates are known to use asexual reproduction including fish, amphibians and reptiles.

Source: The Irish Times February 14, 2018 06:56 UTC