WEDNESDAY, Dec. 20 (HealthDay News) -- When it comes to males, it seems female Komodo dragons can take 'em or leave 'em.

That's because female Komodo dragons don't need males to produce offspring, according to an article in this week's issue of the journal Nature.

The article describes parthenogenesis in two female Komodo dragons at zoos in the United Kingdom. Parthenogenesis, the production of offspring without fertilization by a male, is rare in vertebrate species.

Flora, a Komodo dragon at Chester Zoo, used parthenogenesis to produce a clutch of 11 viable eggs earlier this year. Three of the eggs were crushed during incubation and provided researchers with embryonic material for DNA tests. The remaining eight eggs are developing normally and are expected to hatch in January 2007, the article said.

Another female Komodo called Sungai -- a resident of the London Zoo -- produced four offspring more than two years after her last contact with a male. She later produced more offspring after mating with a male.

The authors of the article said these cases of "reproductive plasticity" suggest that female Komodo are able to switch between asexual and sexual reproduction, depending on the availability of a male mate. This has implications for breeding this endangered species in captivity.

Most zoos keep only female Komodo dragons, while males are shipped around to different zoos for breeding. But the authors of this article suggest that it may be best to keep male and females together at zoos in order to avoid parthenogenesis in females, which they say decreases genetic diversity.

 

This completely useless bit of information has been brought to you by Sybil Lost Her Mind.  Tune in tomorrow for the recovery process 

Many nights I walk around the house in pink, fuzzy slippers with worn out shorts or lounge pants and a t-shirt. My hair is going all different directions or twisted up in a knot (as my husband calls it). I may or may not have make-up on and 9 times out of 10 if I do have it on, I look like a raccoon because my mascara has long since stopped doing it’s job and moved further south to the under-eye area.

To me this does not present a pretty picture but to my husband this ‘look’ is sexy. I often laugh at him when he tells me this and ask him if he needs glasses but one look at his eyes and I know he is telling me what he truly believes. I know he’s not just saying that to make me feel better, he DOES think I’m sexy, even when dressed, or not so dressed, what I call ‘frumpy’. I don’t necessarily ‘feel’ sexy but if he thinks I am then needless to say I won’t argue with him.

I, on the other hand, cannot say that I find him sexy with mussed hair and worn out shorts. Not that he isn’t attractive. It’s just not one of the things that would make me walk up to him and say, “You sure are sexy in that outfit”.

I would most likely tell him he’s sexy when he’s doing something with his hands. Watching the arm muscles move just does something for me. Not sure what but it does. I also would more inclined to make compliments when I see his dimples appear on each side of his mouth with a certain sexy smile. The way I can get glimpses of his chest with certain shirts is sexy to me. Sometimes it’s more about the way he looks and sometimes it’s more about the way he moves or maybe even certain things he does that are sexy to me. Sometimes it’s the combination of everything that is sexy.

I can’t really define ‘sexy’ in one simple sentence. For me, ‘sexy’ means different things at different times.

What about you, fellow bloggers, what do you think is sexy?

 

I get a call from hubby this morning around 6am. He was letting me know that he forgot to leave lunch money for the kids

Anyway, he goes on to tell me that he got to the end of the driveway and remembered the lunch money. Instead of coming back up to the house, he tells me he left it beside the pine tree on the left side of the driveway.

Well, gee...That really narrowed it down since we only have ONE pine tree on that side of the driveway That's like telling someone to go 'over yonder'. Just where the hell is 'yonder' anyway?

I relay this information to the kids after I get off the phone with hubby. I tell them I have no idea which tree he's talking about but it's on the left side of the driveway.

Well, come to find out, THEY knew EXACTLY which tree he was talking about. Apparently, this must be their 'drop spot' for forgotten items that need to go to school This isn't the first time the pine tree has had a few extra dollar bills laying around at it's base

For my kids sake, I hope nothing happens to THAT tree or they could possibly go hungry at school in the future

I'm off to grit my teeth through our annual Christmas party at work

I honestly have more fun listening to this song then at this party