Approximately 99.9% of vertebrate species reproduce sexually. The exceptional 0.1% reproduce via asexual or clonal means, which vary wildly and are fascinating in their own right. In this book, John C. Avise describes the genetics, ecology, natural history, and evolution of the world's approximately 100 species of vertebrate animal that routinely display one form or another of clonal or quasi-clonal reproduction. By considering the many facets of sexual abstinence and clonal reproduction in vertebrate animals, Avise sheds new light on the biological meaning and ramifications of standard sexuality.
Author(s): John Avise
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Year: 2008
Language: English
Pages: 250
CONTENTS......Page 10
PART I: Background: Like Begets Like......Page 14
Clonality at the Gene Level: DNA Replication......Page 16
Clonality at the Genomic Level: Mitosis......Page 19
Clonality in the Cellular Cytoplasm: Mitochondrial DNA......Page 21
Clonality in the Sex Chromosomes......Page 24
Clonality among the Soma......Page 26
Sex at the Interchromosomal Level: Meiosis, Syngamy, and Mendel’s Laws......Page 28
Sex at the Intrachromosomal Level: DNA Recombination via Crossing Over......Page 30
Recombination versus Mutation as Sources of Genetic Variation......Page 31
The Paradox of Sex......Page 33
Sex and Death......Page 38
Cellular Autonomy and Immortality......Page 40
Summary of Part I......Page 43
PART II: Unisexual Clonality in Nature......Page 46
The Cast of Players......Page 48
Cellular and Genetic Mechanisms......Page 64
Evolution and Phylogeny......Page 65
Comparative Ecology and Natural History......Page 83
CHAPTER FOUR: Reproduction by the Semichaste: Gynogenesis, Hybridogenesis, and Kleptogenesis......Page 94
The Cast of Players......Page 95
Cellular and Genetic Mechanisms......Page 110
Evolution and Phylogeny......Page 112
Comparative Ecology and Natural History......Page 125
Summary of Part II......Page 128
PART III: Sexual Clonality in Nature......Page 130
CHAPTER FIVE: Clonality in Utero: Polyembryony......Page 132
The Cast of Players......Page 133
Ecology and Evolution......Page 140
CHAPTER SIX: Clonality by Incest: Hermaphroditic Self-Fertilization......Page 146
The Cast of Players......Page 150
Genetic and Reproductive Mechanisms......Page 151
Evolution and Ecology......Page 157
Summary of Part III......Page 164
PART IV: Clonality in the Laboratory......Page 168
Gene Cloning......Page 170
Whole-Individual Cloning by Quasi-natural Mechanisms......Page 174
Whole-Individual Cloning by Mechanisms Unknown in Nature......Page 181
Summary of Part IV......Page 187
EPILOGUE......Page 190
A......Page 192
C......Page 193
E......Page 194
G......Page 195
H......Page 196
K......Page 197
M......Page 198
O......Page 199
P......Page 200
R......Page 201
T......Page 202
Z......Page 203
REFERENCES......Page 204
D......Page 246
H......Page 247
M......Page 248
R......Page 249
Z......Page 250
