Mary was a giant lizard?
 

Female Komodo dragons have been shown to be able to reproduce through parthenogenesis (asexual reproduction, basically virgin births, or layings).

I find the chromosomes to be interesting, they have W and Z rather than our X and Y, and the male has ZZ while the female is WZ.
So she's able to use her genetic material to produce ZZ offspring asexually (WW results are unsustainable) so can only make males, resulting in offspring she can then mate sexually with to produce both male and females.
Handy if she were ever to be washed up on a deserted island.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6196225.stm

Re: Mary was a giant lizard?
 

How weird does that sound, put a human in a lizard's place for instance, I realise there's a reproduce or die situation for nature, it's all very clever mind you.

Re: Mary was a giant lizard?
 

Our females would never do it - we'd die out.

"Spend 9 months up the duff, no man to blame, and then end up with a man who needs looking after for 18 years? Forget it. Where's the chocolate"

Re: Mary was a giant lizard?
 

I hope the title of this thread doesn't start another faith debate !

Re: Mary was a giant lizard?
 

Quite possibly... offensive!

Re: Mary was a giant lizard?
 

I thought she had a little lamb?

Re: Mary was a giant lizard?
 

That's just it, unlike komodos, for something similar to happen men would be the ones getting pregnant, and only able to produce boys.
It's all down to the chromosomes.