The birth of a shark that revived the mystery of asexual reproduction

Image of the Globo Yoko shark that was born in Louisiana, United States.

Photo: Shreveport Aquarium

For the first time, a Globo shark was born in an aquarium in Louisiana, United States. The particular thing about this birth is that it came from a female who had not had contact with any male for approximately three years.

The experts of the Shreveport Aquarium were surprised, since only two female globe. However, about eight months ago they found an egg that finally hatched on January 3. The newborn was baptized as Yoko.

The main hypothesis of the specialists is that females could experience a process of parthenogenesis, a rare mechanism of asexual reproduction or late fertilization. This means that sharks could have been fertilized more than three years ago, keeping the sperm so far, or that, on the contrary, they would have put the egg without intervention of a male.

When the puppy is enough, the researchers plan to perform genetic tests to clarify the mystery. According to Greg Barrick, aquarium officer, “this fact demonstrates the resilience of the species. We are excited to be able to confirm in the coming months if it was a case of late fertilization or parthenogenesis. ”

If this last scenario was confirmed, Yoko would join other animals capable of “virginal” births, such as sea stars, deep waters and some insects. The phenomenon of the vertebrate parthenogenesis was documented for the first time in 2006 with the Komodo dragons, the largest reptiles in the world. There was also a recent case in North Carolina, the United States, where a line called Charlotte was pregnant without contact with a male.

Although parthenogenesis allows several species to preserve its genetic line in the absence of couples, many aspects of this process are still unknown.

The Globo Shark, also called PEJEGATO Globo, can reach up to 110 centimeters in length. It is distinguished by its wide snout, oval eyes and a crest on the head, in addition to its light brown brown spots.

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