Lindsay Jackson Derraugh

Lindsay Jackson Derraugh is a Ph.D. student at Carleton University, Canada. I earned B.Sc. Hon. and M.Sc. degrees in biology from Carleton University. My research focuses on evolutionary theory, specifically the evolution of unconventional modes of reproduction such as gynogenesis (fertilized egg tosses out all sperm nuclei), androgenesis (fertilized egg tosses out all egg nuclei!), and parthenogenesis (zygote formation without sperm), as well as interactions between egg and sperm nuclei when multiple sperm nuclei fertilize an egg. As a theoretical biologist, I strive to develop new hypotheses and test them whenever possible by accumulating evidence from past and present literature. The oddities of nature drive my curiosity and research. Hopefully our chapter can encourage biologists, and individuals of all disciplines, to defi ne the sexes only when absolutely necessary and be cognizant of the fact that the dichotomies we create are hardly ever universal.