[Taxacom] reactivating genes

[Hans Henderickx]

In 1982 I made some small publications of the accidental occurence of a 
sporadic winged male in a parthenogenetic colony of a wingless Lepidoptera 
(Luffia ferchaultella, Psychidae).
This species colonies exist in Belgium exclusively parthenogenetic, the 
females pose their eggs immediately after emerging without mating. Very 
occasionally (less than 1/10.000) a single winged male may occur, with no 
function in mating, but showing all the caracteritics of the ancient 
ancestor, a bisexual species with winged males. A same case exists in a 
parthenogenetic colonie of the psychid species Dahlica triquetrella ("the 
male from Aubrig").
The genes for male wings, large pectinate antenna and genitalia structure 
have been present but deactivated in the female, and can appearantly be 
reactivated through mutation: "Decouverte d'une chrysalide male de Luffia au 
sein d'une population de l'espèce parthenogenetique L. ferchaultella., in 
ALEXANOR 12(5): 195-198."

Hans Henderickx