diploid zygote. Cape honeybee workers expressing the thelytoky phenotype can produce progeny by automictic thelytoky with central fusion (see diagram). Central fusion allows heterozygosity to be largely maintained. The oocytes that undergo automixis display a greater than 10-fold reduction in the rate of crossover recombination. The low recombination rate in automictic oocytes favors maintenance of heterozygosity and the avoidance of inbreeding depression. References External links Featured Creatures Website: Cape honey bee (Apis mellifera capensis) — on the UF / IFAS website. mellifera capensis Insects of Africa Fauna of South Africa