deuterotoky

zoology

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June 25, 2026

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Deuterotoky is a form of parthenogenesis, a reproductive strategy where a female gamete develops without fertilization. Specifically, deuterotoky refers to a type of parthenogenesis observed in the insect order Hymenoptera (which includes bees, wasps, and ants) where unmated females produce females as well as males. This is distinct from arrhenotoky (producing only males) and thelytoky (producing only males). Parthenogenesis itself can occur in various organisms, from lower plants to invertebrate animals, and even rarely in vertebrates. Some species are obligate parthenogens, meaning they cannot reproduce sexually, while others are facultative and can switch between parthenogenesis and sexual reproduction based on environmental conditions.1

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Hymenoptera
Reproduction
three forms: arrhenotoky, thelytoky, and deuterotoky. In arrhenotoky, males are produced from unfertilized eggs laid by mated (impregnated) females or by so-called secondary, or supplementary, queens, which have not been impregnated. In thelytoky, which occurs in many species of the suborder Symphyta, unmated females produce females. In deuterotoky, unmated females…
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three forms: arrhenotoky, thelytoky, and deuterotoky. In arrhenotoky, males are produced from unfertilized eggs laid by mated (impregnated) females or by so-called secondary, or supplementary, queens, which have not been impregnated. In thelytoky, which occurs in many species of the suborder Symphyta, unmated females produce females. In deuterotoky, unmated females…
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