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Definition

noun

A form of asexual reproduction where an unfertilized egg develops into a new individual in the absence of the male gamete.

Supplement

Parthenogenesis is regarded as a form of sexual reproduction since a zygote forms without the union between female and male gametes. It is a common means of reproduction in plants, invertebrates (such as water fleas, aphids, stick insects, some ants, bees and parasitic wasps), and vertebrates (such as some reptiles, amphibians, fish, and few birds)

Word origin: Latin, from Greek, birth, origin.

See also: asexual reproduction