Scientists have reported in the Journal of Fish Biology (a real page turner) that for the second time, a lonely lady shark in captivity has given birth to a shark pup. Yes, folks that’s right a girl shark who has not come in contact with any boy sharks has become a mom! Astonishing!
Actually, it turns out that this blacktip shark is just harkening back to her primordial roots and parthenogenesis to reproduce asexually. According to one shark expert quoted in the LA Times, sharks were the first vertebrate species to have “penetrative sex” so it’s likely that evolutionarily speaking that they also had the capacity at some point in their evolutionary history the ability to asexually reproduce–which is what, I’m calling, virgin Mar has done in her male-less existence.
Just another species to prove that males aren’t essential to their survival. Wondering which one will be next?
Summer Johnson, PhD