Female shark from the zoo in USA A baby shark gave birth without the participation of a male. About it reports Live Science.
The Brookfield Zoo in Illinois announced that its aquarium’s ocellated catshark has given birth to a baby despite not having been exposed to a male for four years.
The “virgin birth” occurred on August 23, without the assistance of a male and after a five-month incubation period. This was the second time this has occurred in captivity for this species. Zoo staff have not shown the baby shark to the public for several months, but soon viewers will be able to see the young 14-centimeter shark in the aquarium.
The baby shark was born through parthenogenesis, a form of reproduction in which female reproductive cells develop into an adult organism on their own, that is, without fertilization. This phenomenon is observed relatively frequently in captive sharks, birds, lizards and snakes. However, it is impossible for mammals, in which an important part of the genetic information is contained in sperm cells.
According to the Brookfield Zoo, the new mother ocellated catshark arrived in 2019. She reached sexual maturity in 2022 when she turned seven years old. Since then, the female shark has laid two to four eggs every month. One of them successfully developed into an embryo.
Although sharks born through parthenogenesis can be quite fragile, the baby shark from Brookfield is completely healthy. He has an excellent appetite and is fed minced seafood and fish.
Previously, scientists for the first time in history recorded case of immaculate conception in a crocodile. This happened when Costa Rica discovered a female who had lived for 16 years in isolation in the enclosure of a reptile park and laid eggs.
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