Pseudocopulation
From EvoWiki
Suboptimal design > Pseudocopulation
Lizards that reproduce by parthenogenesis ("virgin birth"), like the hybrids of certain whiptail-(Cnemidophorus) lizard species, often practice "pseudocopulation", in which a "pseudomale" bites a "pseudofemale" in the neck, inducing egg release. But a parthenogenetic species ought not to need this egg-release stimulus; aphids do not pseudocopulate when reproducing parthenogenetically. So it is clearly a vestigial feature left over from sexually-reproducing ancestors.
The reason why these lizards engage in pseudocopulation is to stimulate their hormonal cycles into peaking, in order to ovulate. Otherwise, they are incapable of automatically ovulating like, say, chickens.
