What is the term for the process in which an unfertilized egg develops into a new individual, commonly seen in certain insects, reptiles, and amphibians?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Parthenogenesis is a natural form of asexual reproduction where an embryo develops directly from an unfertilized egg without male gamete contribution. Unlike apomixis in plants or syngamy involving sexual fusion, this phenomenon occurs in various insects, reptiles, and amphibians to produce viable offspring. Understanding this biological mechanism is important for questions on reproductive strategies in static general science sections.