gynogenesis
|gyn-o-gen-e-sis|
/ˌɡaɪnəˈdʒɛnəsɪs/
female-origin reproduction
Etymology
'gynogenesis' originates from Greek, specifically the elements 'gynē' meaning 'woman, female' and 'genesis' meaning 'origin, birth'.
'gynogenesis' was formed as a New Latin/scientific coinage combining Greek roots and entered modern English usage in the 19th century to name this reproductive phenomenon.
Initially, the components signified 'originating from the female'; over time the term developed the specific biological sense of 'a female-origin reproductive process in which eggs develop often after sperm stimulation but without paternal genetic contribution.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a form of asexual reproduction in which an egg is activated by the presence of sperm but the sperm does not contribute genetically to the offspring; the progeny inherit only the mother’s genome.
Gynogenesis occurs in some species of fish, where offspring develop after sperm activation but carry only the mother's genetic material.
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Noun 2
(Narrow/technical) The specific reproductive mechanism observed in certain vertebrates (e.g., some fish and amphibians) in which fertilization is mechanically initiated by sperm but paternal chromosomes are excluded or not incorporated.
Studies of the Amazon molly have documented gynogenesis as the mechanism by which eggs are activated without paternal genetic contribution.
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Last updated: 2025/08/25 20:13