Question

Most reptiles , including lizards and snakes reproduce sexually . Despite this parthenogenesis has been observed to occur naturally in certain species of lizards and snakes . Parthenogenesis is a reproductive process by which some females are able to grow and develop embryos without ever having their eggs fertilized by a male .
What would happen to a population if all females reproduce through parthenogenesis alone ?

A)The population would have less genetic diversity over time due to the females reproducing asexually instead of sexually .

B)The population would have less genetic diversity over time due to the females reproducing sexually instead of asexually .

C)The population would have more genetic diversity over time due to the females reproducing asexually instead of sexually .

D)The population would have more genetic diversity over time due to the females reproducing sexually instead of asexually .

Answer 1

A is your answer. When only one parent produces the offspring, they are essentially cloning themselves, and it is called asexual reproduction. The offspring only have the genes of the one parent. A lack of genetic diversity is one of the drawbacks to asexual reproduction.