Italian shark has virgin birth

A shark's rare "virgin birth" in an Italian aquarium may be the first of its kind, scientists say.

Scientists at the Cala Gonone Aquarium on the Italian island of Sardinia say a female smooth-hound shark that's been living in an all-female shark tank for 10 years recently gave birth to a baby shark. The aquarium's press team told DW that they are currently waiting for a DNA analysis to confirm that what happened is a case of parthenogenesis. To procreate, most species require an egg to be fertilized by a sperm. That's the case with sharks, too. But some animals can produce offspring all by themselves. This is called parthenogenesis.

Italian shark has virgin birth

A baby shark has been born in a Chicago aquarium asexually, with her mother having not mated with any of the males present in her tank. A study published in the Journal of Fish Biology in November revealed a female endangered zebra shark at Shedd Aquarium in Chicago gave birth to offspring without having mated, despite the presence of healthy males of the same species in the same tank. Asexual reproduction —creating offspring that are genetically identical to the parent without mating—is common in many invertebrate organisms, but is less frequently seen in vertebrates like sharks unless there is an absence of partners to reproduce sexually with, as a kind of biological "Hail Mary. Asexual reproduction is a common method of making new individuals across all of life: bacteria, plants, fungi and less complex animals frequently use this method of reproduction. Virgin birth, or parthenogenesis , is the process in which organisms, usually vertebrates animals with backbones , reproduce asexually, by giving birth to young using an unfertilized egg cell in a female animal. All of these offspring are female. The researchers found out that the Chicago zebra sharks were giving birth via parthenogenesis after genetically testing the offspring, which was originally meant to help the successful breeding of the endangered species. However, one clutch of eggs confused the scientists, as it only contained the genetic information of one of the sharks, not two. But they did match the female that laid the eggs," Kevin Feldheim, a researcher at Chicago's Field Museum and the lead author of the study, said in a statement. Another case of a shark "virgin birth" occurred in an Italian aquarium in , where a female smoothhound shark gave birth to a baby despite having spent 10 years sharing her tank with only one other female shark.

Let's explain why.

Scientists say a rare shark "virgin birth" may be the first of its kind after a baby shark was born in an all-female tank in an Italian aquarium. Its mother had spent ten years living in a tank with one other female, the outlet said, and scientists suspect the newborn could be the first documented case of shark parthenogenesis in that species. Parthenogenesis is a rare phenomenon where an egg develops into an embryo without being fertilized by a sperm. The process has been observed in more than 80 vertebrate species, according to Live Science , including sharks, fish, and reptiles. He added that while sharks probably had the ability to do it, it was difficult to document in the wild. Chapman told Live Science that in the wild, parthenogenesis might be the last resort for females that cannot find a mate in situations of low population density. The response can also be triggered in captive sharks who are separated from males for long periods of time, he said.

Its mother had spent ten years living in a tank with one other female, the outlet said, and scientists suspect the newborn could be the first documented case of shark parthenogenesis in that species. Parthenogenesis is a rare phenomenon where an egg develops into an embryo without being fertilized by a sperm. The process has been observed in more than 80 vertebrate species, according to Live Science , including sharks, fish, and reptiles. Subscribe to our newsletter. This is an excerpt. Read the original post here. Participate Newsletter Donate. Virgin birth? Alia Shoaib Yahoo News September 14,

Italian shark has virgin birth

Scientists at the Cala Gonone Aquarium on the Italian island of Sardinia say a female smooth-hound shark that's been living in an all-female shark tank for 10 years recently gave birth to a baby shark. The aquarium's press team told DW that they are currently waiting for a DNA analysis to confirm that what happened is a case of parthenogenesis. To procreate, most species require an egg to be fertilized by a sperm. That's the case with sharks, too. But some animals can produce offspring all by themselves.

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He studied marine biology at the University of Exeter before training to become a journalist. Read next. Thanks for signing up! Its mother had spent ten years living in a tank with one other female, the outlet said, and scientists suspect the newborn could be the first documented case of shark parthenogenesis in that species. During egg development, one egg is produced along with three other products called polar bodies. In sharks, asexual reproduction usually happens via a process called "automictic parthenogenesis," explained Feldheim. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors. Redeem now. Why do whales swim differently from sharks? Do you have a question about parthenogenesis? But some animals can produce offspring all by themselves. Zebra shark gives 'virgin birth,' shocks scientists. It symobilizes a website link url. You may unsubscribe at any time.

Over the last three decades, Italy has only seen ten shark sightings. Most are deep-sea species, so you will likely avoid running into one while swimming close to the shore. Are Sharks Endangered?

Related: Hail Mary! We are looking forward to guests being able to see the pup. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification. Mammals cannot reproduce asexually , because mammals, including humans, require certain genes to come from sperm. Endangered Species. Pawsitively Mondays to Fridays. There are two different types of parthenogenesis, according to National Geographic. She is a graduate of the University of Oxford. Sign up to receive Popular Science's emails and get the highlights. I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. These slender sharks are named after large eyespots above their pectoral fins that make them appear larger than they are and look somewhat like the shoulder ornaments on some uniforms. Facebook Twitter Email. A number of animals in both the wild and in captivity have been documented in recent years to have undergone parthenogenesis, including birds, non-avian reptiles, snakes, and lizards, and is relatively rare for complex vertebrates like sharks to have such virgin births.