Key points

Some vertebrates such as fishes, amphibians, and reptiles reproduce by female alone, known as pathenogenesis.

Sperm is still required for the development of unfertilized eggs.

Pathenogenic females steal sperm from males of other species in sperm parasitism

Sperm parasitism is a pattern of reproduction unseen in birds or mammals.

"Luna" the Amazon molly Source: By Tyler Reich with permission

Reproduction in nature is far more inventive than most of us imagine. One of its rarest—and cheekiest—strategies is simple: Take the sperm, skip the commitment.

Meet Luna, the Amazon molly ( Poecilia formosa ), a master con artist in a shimmering silver dress. She belongs to an all-female clone army—each Luna an exact copy of her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, stretchi

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