Something about asexual organisms fascinates me. It seems like they go against all rules of evolution. Yes they can be successful but what does it matter if they cannot actually change genetically to adapt to change. I get some like these lizards arise from different species hybridizing but there are others like the brahminy blindsnake that seem to one day just appear and suddenly spread all throughout the world as genetically identical females. Same with marmorkrebs.There are also plants like bamboos that reproduce through rhizomes but they flower all at once around the world (because they're all the same individual) and then die. Right now it's happening to black bamboo and so far all the seeds are infertile so there's a possibility this plant will go completely extinct. It makes me wonder how this even evolves in the first place and how it managed to survive as a species for so long.
>>5115805Magic. I’m in the cult that uses incantations and virgin sacrifices to keep these species alive.
I bet most are isolated and/or wide spread enough to avoid outbreaks that would wipe out the whole population.
>>5115805I once had one (1) T. tomentosa get into my rubber ducky bin and I had to make a new colony... It's a really useful "gimmick" as long as the whole lack of genetic diversity thing doesn't cause issues.
>>5115805Almost every vetrebate asexual organism winds up going extinct when there's environment change or new competition. Which might not happen for thousands of years but it will happen. That's why it's relatively rare. Things like sequential hermaphrodism are more advantageous.
