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Most lizards reproduce just like this. The most curious case lives in the southwest of the United States and in the north of Mexico: it is Cmenidiphorus uniparens, a species of lizard formed only by females that reproduce without males. Each animal is a clone: the daughters are genetically identical to the mother. This type of reproduction may not be very romantic, but it has its advantages – one of them is to give the species a greater potential for population growth, since all lizards, and not just about half, are capable of laying eggs. But, what draws attention in the case of Cmenidiphorus uniparens, specifically, is the simulation of the sexual act: a lizard behaves like the female that, in fact, it is; another acts as if he were a male – he mounts his partner, entangling her with his tail. Every two weeks, the roles are reversed. The process is controlled by hormonal changes.
What is the purpose of this whole theater? According to biologist David Crews, from the University of Texas, in the United States, females ovulate more easily when there are others nearby imitating males.