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I've used this concept below for Amazons for about 25 years in my campaigns but Neithan inspired a more concise/realistic explanation (was previously a blessing/curse from a Goddess but the mechanism was vague). He also inspired other fantasy uses of Hybridogenesis and Gynogenesis.
Hybridogenesis:
Many all-female Fey creatures and some all-female monsters reproduce by Hybridogenesis (hemi-clonal sexual reproduction). They mate with males of compatible humanoid races and their offspring (always female) have half of their genes and half of the genes of the donor male. However, when that female offspring produce eggs, all the genes in the eggs come from the female’s own mother and the genes of the donor male are invariably discarded. Each individual is unique due to the influence of the father, but the race is never diluted over generations. Very rarely, a small amount of genetic material from the male may make the jump into the retained half of the genome, and perhaps this accounts for the existence of similar Fey (Nymphs and Dryads, for example). Even more rarely, a male offspring might occur and be able to spread exotic genes into the more mundane species. On Earth, some fish and waterfrogs reproduce this way.
Gynogenesis:
Some all-female monsters have offspring that are total clones, but a sperm cell from a donor species is needed to activate their eggs. This is the case in species that have partially evolved from sexual to asexual reproduction (Parthenogenesis). Since they have no significant relationship with the donor species, they are usually predatory (mates and than kills) or mate with all kinds of exotic creatures (since nearly any sperm will do). On very rare occasions, some genes from the father may become incorporated in the offspring. On Earth, some salamanders reproduce this way.
Amazons:
Amazons are a variety of Humans and Elves who reproduce sexually like others of their race but have a single trait (carried by a mobile gene or a chromosome fragment) that is passed on by Hybridogenesis from mother to daughter. The effect of this trait is to make 19 or 20 of the Amazon’s offspring female. This is achieved through decreased likelihood of conceiving a surviving male making the Amazon somewhat less fertile than their non-Amazon counterparts. Male offspring of an Amazon do not carry the trait and are otherwise normal, only rare. Amazons are often favored, especially by nobility, as mistresses, concubines, and harem girls due to the dramatically decreased chance of having a male heir or pretender.
Other:
I'm toying with the idea of having some non-human species (possibly Halflings?) reproduce sexually with others of the same species but through Hybridogenesis between females and males of other humanoid species.
Rimlar