Overview of Thelytokous Parthenogenesis in Two Insect Orders: Diptera and Hymenoptera

Abstract

Thelytoky is a type of parthenogenesis when unfertilized eggs only produce female offsprings. Consequently, it prevents the need for females to find a mate for reproduction through automixis or apomixis and allows them to successfully pass on their genetic material to their progeny, increasing the number of females. This phenomenon can occur through the genetic mechanisms of certain species or can be induced by infections from maternally transmitted endosymbiotic bacteria such as Wolbachia, Rickettsia, and Cardinium. Different Dipteran and Hymenopteran species reproduce via thelytokous parthenogenesis, but there is still limited information about this process. In this review, we provided a broad summary of the phenomenon of thelytokous parthenogenesis by referencing studies focusing on Dipteran and Hymenopteran species.