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Trioecy

Presence of males, females, and hermaphrodites in a population From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Trioecy /trˈsi/, also spelled triecy, is a sexual system characterized by the coexistence of males, females, and hermaphrodites. It has been found in both plants and animals.[1][2] Like androdioecy and gynodioecy, trioecy is a mixed mating systems.[3]

Terminology

Trioecy is also called tridioecy /ˌtrdˈsi/ and subdioecy /ˌsʌbdˈsi/.[4]

The term trioecy comes from the Neo-Latin word Trioecia, a former order of trioecious plants.[5]

Evolution of trioecy

Trioecy may be an unstable transient state[6] associated with evolutionary transitioning from gynodioecy to dioecy.[7][6] In brachiopod species, trioecy usually breaks into androdioecy or gynodioecy.[8] Other studies show that trioecious populations originated from gonochoristic ancestors which were invaded by a mutant selfing hermaphrodite, creating a trioecious population.[1] It has been suggested that chromosomal duplication plays an important part in the evolution of trioecy.[9]

But one study found that trioecy can be stable under nucleocytoplasmic sex determination.[10] Another theoretical analysis indicates that trioecy could be evolutionary stable in plant species if a large amount of pollinators vary geographically.[11]

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Occurrence

Trioecy is a relatively common sexual system in plants,[12] estimated to occur in about 3.6% of flowering plant species,[10] although most reports of trioecy could be misinterpretations of gynodioecy.[13] It is rare as well as poorly understood in animals.[12]

Species that exhibit trioecy

The following species have been observed to exhibit a trioecious breeding system.

Plants

Animals

See also

References

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