Dragon Biology

So I am already aware from the Lorebooks and interviews that Dragons are capable of reproducing asexually and that gender is largely just a matter of convenience and/or individual preference for dragon kind.

But my question is, has it ever been answered/specified as to whether dragons as a species are only capable of asexual reproduction, or are they capable of both asexual and sexual reproduction like many organisms in real life (such as aphids, slime molds, sea anemones, some species of starfish, and many plants) are capable of?

Dude they're all aliens.
As far as I'm concerned they can do whatever they want.

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Originally Posted by ItMe

Dude they're all aliens.
As far as I'm concerned they can do whatever they want.

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I am well aware that they are effectively all aliens.
Doesn't mean I can't, or shouldn't, be curious about the lore/in-universe biology of their species.

Well I think it is actually stated somewhere that Tiamat and Bahamut were mates, which does imply sexual reproduction. But that’s about as direct a reference I can think of. I don’t recall any dragons mentioning both a mother and a father.

Edit: oh and I think Ratatoskir and Nidhogg were mates too? Or is that headcanon?

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Originally Posted by Alleluia

Well I think it is actually stated somewhere that Tiamat and Bahamut were mates, which does imply sexual reproduction. But that’s about as direct a reference I can think of. I don’t recall any dragons mentioning both a mother and a father.

Edit: oh and I think Ratatoskir and Nidhogg were mates too? Or is that headcanon?

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Oh I already know that mates have been used to described Tiamat and Bahamut but as stated in older interviews that Anonymoose translated, the term "mate" for dragons doesn't imply
"partner for reproduction" so unfortunately that doesn't answer the question either way.

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Originally Posted by Anonymoose

It's from a Dengeki interview with the dungeon design team from when they were running Heavensward PR. I made translations of such interviews, but never really decided on the best way to re-publish them and then I got swept up into a bigger project, lol. I'm sure I'll get all the info into relevant things eventually, depending on what people are most interested in me helping to puzzle out (right now, it's the bestiary). Here's what you're looking for, though:

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Originally Posted by Anonymoose

We know that Tioman is Nidhogg's consort, but what is she other than a dungeon boss? What kind of background information exists for her?

We should start with the fact that dragons don't have a traditional concept of gender. They can reproduce alone, aesexually. After a dragon is born, and over the course of a very long life, their form changes drastically. For creatures such as these, a "mate" doesn't mean a "partner for reproduction" like it does for other organisms. It's more of a deep and spiritual bond. Even in the bond between the dragon Hraesvelgr and the human Shiva, the spiritual connection is what was emphasized. In the same vein, even though Tioman is presented as a "female dragon" that is Nidhogg's "consort," this means only that she is the most important being in his life, spiritually. It should be noted, however, that even this is still slightly different from a human concept such as "marriage". These terms will probably be explored in the game, as well, once relations between man and dragon improve.

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It's still not altogether clear if that means female-only asexual reproduction, but given the direct emphasis on how dragons don't really fit established gender concepts in general, it doesn't sound like it. Dragons have very deep roots in aether and magick. For instance, an Ishgardian can't just slay a dragon and drink it's blood and be turned - it has to be magicked blood spilled by the dragons for that purpose. It wouldn't surprise me if something similar was involved even in the creation of eggs ... but we just don't know.

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I think they are capabale of sexual reproduction.
As a Dragoon, you help the little Dragon Orn Khai 'rescue' his father's consort.
It is said that the two of them got together in order to breed. So yeah.

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Originally Posted by Hikari_Kishimoto

I think they are capabale of sexual reproduction.
As a Dragoon, you help the little Dragon Orn Khai 'rescue' his father's consort.
It is said that the two of them got together in order to breed. So yeah.

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We also know from Tioman's card that she is the consort of Nidhogg. So it does seem that dragons at least pairbond. I'm pretty sure we see egg shells when running through the Aery but I might have to run through it again to be sure.

Technically eggs don't have to mean sexual reproduction. Its a fantasy setting.

*Points at IRL komodo dragons*

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo...n#Reproduction

Have a wikipedia article.

So yeah, that's a thing in real life, no fantasy setting required.

Neat, so Komodo Dragons have an inset, "Make guys so we can make gals" thing going for them.

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Originally Posted by Mixt

*Points at IRL komodo dragons*

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo...n#Reproduction

Have a wikipedia article.

So yeah, that's a thing in real life, no fantasy setting required.

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Just goes to show that real life biology tends to be MUCH weirder than that of any fantasy or science fiction setting.
Fiction need to be believable, real life is under no such constraints.

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Originally Posted by Hikari_Kishimoto

I think they are capabale of sexual reproduction.
As a Dragoon, you help the little Dragon Orn Khai 'rescue' his father's consort.
It is said that the two of them got together in order to breed. So yeah.

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I know Faunehm is described as Vedrfolnir’s “consort”, but as mentioned previously, consort/mate doesn’t imply “sexual reproductive partner” for dragons.

I did the Stormblood Dragoon requests, but beyond Faunehm being referred to as a consort, when/where was it stated/implied the two of them got together for breeding purposes?

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Originally Posted by Vyrerus

Neat, so Komodo Dragons have an inset, "Make guys so we can make gals" thing going for them.

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Turkeys and Chickens can be Parthenogenic too, although it's not always viable. And then there is Gynogenesis in a few species, just to make one's head spin that little bit more.

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Originally Posted by Mixt

*Points at IRL komodo dragons*

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komodo...n#Reproduction

Have a wikipedia article.

So yeah, that\\'s a thing in real life, no fantasy setting required.

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That was an interesting read, ty for posting it.

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Originally Posted by Theozilla

I know Faunehm is described as Vedrfolnir’s “consort”, but as mentioned previously, consort/mate doesn’t imply “sexual reproductive partner” for dragons.

I did the Stormblood Dragoon requests, but beyond Faunehm being referred to as a consort, when/where was it stated/implied the two of them got together for breeding purposes?

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It was at the beginning of the questline and I think it was Orn Khai who said it.

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Originally Posted by Hikari_Kishimoto

It was at the beginning of the questline and I think it was Orn Khai who said it.

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It's been awhile, but I don't think Orn Khai ever refers to her as his mom though. It would be a bit weird to refer to your biological mother as your dad's consort if they actually reproduced sexually.

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Originally Posted by MikkoAkure

It would be a bit weird to refer to your biological mother as your dad's consort if they actually reproduced sexually.

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To our understanding, yes. But not necessarily to the understanding of dragons.

But.

I just realized, while he is not calling Faunehm his mother, he is calling Vedrfolnir his father.
So there's a 50/50 chance that one of them produced him through a biological way.

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Originally Posted by Hikari_Kishimoto

To our understanding, yes. But not necessarily to the understanding of dragons.

But.

I just realized, while he is not calling Faunehm his mother, he is calling Vedrfolnir his father.
So there's a 50/50 chance that one of them produced him through a biological way.

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Orn Khai came into being after Faunehm left. The reason he was searching for her, was half because he hated seeing his father sad, the other was because his name is a constant reminder of his father's feelings and wanted to meet the dragon responsible. In fact, Orn Khai came into existence BECAUSE Faunehm left, so in that way you could consider her his mother, but besides that, there is (In my opinion) little evidence for her being his biological mother.

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Originally Posted by MrThinker

Orn Khai came into being after Faunehm left. The reason he was searching for her, was half because he hated seeing his father sad, the other was because his name is a constant reminder of his father's feelings and wanted to meet the dragon responsible. In fact, Orn Khai came into existence BECAUSE Faunehm left, so in that way you could consider her his mother, but besides that, there is (In my opinion) little evidence for her being his biological mother.

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I was just making fun, so not being serious atm.

So if I am understanding correctly, while we know for sure dragons can and do asexually reproduce, it appears it is still unknown/ambiguous/undefined if dragons can also reproduce through sexual reproduction as well (like how some real world animals/organisms can reproduce both asexually and sexually)?

(reviving this thread to see if any new information/inputs on the topic have come up since then)