What reproductive strategy results in populations composed exclusively of females in Costa Rica and Panama?
Answer
Parthenogenesis, where females reproduce by creating clones of themselves without fertilization.
In specific geographical areas, notably Costa Rica and Panama, the populations of *Lepidophyma flavimaculatum* consist entirely of females that reproduce through parthenogenesis. This process means that the female reproduces asexually by creating genetically identical clones of herself, bypassing the need for a male partner entirely. Furthermore, these females are ovoviviparous, meaning they retain the developing embryos internally, nourished by the yolk of the egg, until they give birth to fully formed, live young, which are miniature replicas of the mother.
Related Questions
Which taxonomic family groups the Yellow-spotted Tropical Night Lizard?What scale texture characterizes the body of *Lepidophyma flavimaculatum* compared to its head?What reproductive strategy results in populations composed exclusively of females in Costa Rica and Panama?What structure replaces the true eyelid in *Lepidophyma flavimaculatum* for eye protection?What activity pattern is characteristic of the lizard commonly known as the Night Lizard?Which two recognized subspecies might account for the size variability reported in *L. flavimaculatum* measurements?What color characterizes the ventral area of the Yellow-spotted Tropical Night Lizard?What is the primary defense mechanism involving the tail utilized by *Lepidophyma flavimaculatum* when threatened?Which specific reptile species were utilized by filmmakers to depict the fictional dangerous lizard in the *Holes* movie adaptation?What feature on the dorsal surface of the head contributes to the 'beak-like appearance' of *Lepidophyma flavimaculatum*?