🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1993Oct14.214739.11584@alw.nih.gov> Jim Owens <jow@helix.nih.gov> writes:
>In article <28v7ou$f8d@news.u.washington.edu> John Reed,
>johnreed@stein1.u.washington.edu writes:
>>I am interest in knowing whether parthanogenesis has evolved in the male 
>>sex of any species.  I would presume not, for evolutionary reasons, but
>I 
>>would like to know for sure.  I would also like to know other peoples 
>
>Stand by for a statement from the village idiot:
>
>I think the reason parthenogenesis is noted only in females is
>linguistic.  Parthenogenesis was by definition reserved for females when
>I was a lad.  In males it was called androgenesis.  My memory is a bit
>dim on this because the article I am recalling was read about 35 years
>ago.  I cannot recall if "androgenesis" was just a linguistic alternative
>to parthenogenesis.
>
>Parthenogenesis is derived from the Greek for "virgin birth."  I never
>took classical Greek and do not have access to a Greek grammer text, but
>my guess is that parthenos is feminine.  The Parthenon was the temple
>devoted to the virgin-goddess Athena.
>
>A quick check with a very large Webster's in a lab downstairs has
>confirmed my idea about parthenos being a word that applied to maidens. 
>However, androgenesis is defined as "male parthenogenesis" and is
>contrasted with gynogenesis as the female form of parthenogenesis.  You
>learn something everyday!
>
>Jim Owens
>_______________________________________________________
>The Secretary will deny any connection to me if I am caught.



	Parthenos, maiden. Gune, woman. Aner, plural Andres, man. 
	Makes sense...           -Alberto-