Parthenogenesis (/ˌpɑːrθᵻnoʊˈdʒɛnᵻsᵻs, -θᵻnə-/; from the Greek παρθένος parthenos, "virgin", + γένεσις genesis, "creation") is a natural form of asexual reproduction in which growth and development of embryos occur without fertilization. In animals, parthenogenesis means development of an embryo from an unfertilized egg cell. In plants parthenogenesis is a component process of apomixis.
Parthenogenesis occurs naturally in many plants, some invertebrate animal species (including nematodes, water fleas, some scorpions, aphids, some mites, some bees, some Phasmida and parasitic wasps) and a few vertebrates (such as some fish,amphibians, reptiles and very rarely birds). This type of reproduction has been induced artificially in a few species including fish and amphibians.