May 23, 2007
Shark’s Tale of Immaculate Conception
Stumble it!There’s something funny in the water at Nebraska’s Henry Doorly Zoo. In 2001, a pup was born to a female shark who’d had no contact with a male - ever.
Subsequent research by genetics teams at the zoo in Nebraska, at Southeastern University in Florida and Queen’s University Belfast has all drawn the same conclusion - the pup had no paternal DNA.
This has led scientists to conclude that female hammerhead sharks can reproduce on their own. This method of reproduction is known as parthenogenesis.
The result is a flurry of discussion on key issues related to shark conservation. If sharks resort to parthenogenesis because of thinning populations, this is likely to weaken the population.
Why? Because asexual reproduction leads to decreased genetic diversity. In order for any organism to adapt to changing environmental conditions, genetic diversity is key.
“The concern for sharks is that not only could we be reducing their numbers,” says Dr Paulo Prodohl, one of the report’s authors. “But we could be making them less fit as well.”
No responses to "Shark’s Tale of Immaculate Conception"
Leave a Reply