Grasshoppers stopped having sex 250 thousand years ago and got ahead of their relatives

It is believed that parthenogenetic species are those in which the eggs develop in the adult organism without

fertilization - must suffer from parasites anda large number of bad mutations. In their work, biologists from the University of Melbourne showed that Warramaba virgo is not only not inferior to other species, but was the only grasshopper that spread across the entire continent from west to east Australia.

Scientists believe that Warramaba virgo evolved from a hybrid cross between two other grasshoppers over 250,000 years ago. This species, all females, lives in arid zones in Australia.

During the study, biologists studied more than 1.5 thousand species.markers to assess the genetic diversity of this species and as a result found almost no variations and mutations. This, as noted by the authors of the work, is in sharp contrast to related species of grasshoppers, which reproduce sexually.

The researchers believe that the entire species of Warramaba virgo could have developed from one very successful individual, and all further reproduction was essentially cloning.

The authors of the work say that sexual reproduction can be too costly, and this may be the advantage of the studied species.

“Searching for a mate takes time and energy and involveswith an increased risk of predation. If we can get rid of the males and still have viable offspring, and the species is thriving, then why would we even have sex?” says Professor Ari Hoffmann, co-author of the study.

Scientists emphasize that the new discovery will help to revise the modern evolutionary theory about the benefits of sexual reproduction.

Cover photo: Michael Kearney, University of Melburne

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