Another Shark "Virgin Birth" Confirmed

Scientists Say DNA Proves Female Blacktip Shark In Va. Reproduced Without A Mate

(CBS/AP)  Scientists have confirmed the second case of a "virgin birth" in a shark.

In a study reported Friday in the Journal of Fish Biology, scientists said DNA testing proved that a pup carried by a female Atlantic blacktip shark in the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center contained no genetic material from a male.

The first documented case of asexual reproduction, or parthenogenesis, among sharks involved a pup born to a hammerhead at an Omaha, Neb., zoo.

At that time, CBS News science and technology correspondent Daniel Sieberg reported parthenogenesis had been documented in reptiles, amphibians and birds previously, but experts said it was the first confirmed case in a shark (audio).

"This first case was no fluke," Demian Chapman, a shark scientist and lead author of the second study, said in a statement. "It is quite possible that this is something female sharks of many species can do on occasion."

The aquarium sharks that reproduced without mates each carried only one pup, while some shark species can produce litters numbering in the dozen or more. The scientists cautioned that the rare asexual births should not be viewed as a possible solution to declining global shark populations.

"It is very unlikely that a small number of female survivors could build their numbers up very quickly by undergoing virgin birth," Chapman said.

The medical mystery began 16 months ago after the death of the Atlantic blacktip shark named Tidbit at the Virginia Beach aquarium. No male blacktip sharks were present during her eight years at the aquarium.

In May 2007, the 5-foot, 94-pound shark died of stress-related complications related to her unknown pregnancy after undergoing a yearly checkup. The 10-inch shark pup was found during a necropsy of Tidbit, surprising aquarium officials. They initially thought the embryonic pup was either a product of a virgin birth or a cross between the blacktip and a male of another shark species - which has never been documented, Chapman said.

Tidbit's pup was nearly full term, and likely would have been quickly eaten by "really big sand tiger sharks" that were in the tank, Chapman said in a telephone interview from Florida.

That is what happened to the tiny hammerhead pup in the Omaha case.

"By the time they could realize what they were looking at, something munched the baby," he said of aquarium workers. The remains of the pup were used for the DNA testing.

Virgin birth has been proven in some bony fish, amphibians, reptiles and birds, and has been suspected among sharks in the wild. The scientists who studied the Virginia and Nebraska sharks said the newly formed pups acquired one set of chromosomes when the mother's chromosomes split during egg development, then united anew.

Absent the chromosomes present in the male sperm, the offspring of an asexual conception have reduced genetic diversity and, the scientists said, may be at a disadvantage for surviving in the wild. A pup, for instance, can be more susceptible to congenital disorders and diseases.

The scientists said their findings offer "intriguing questions" about how frequently automictic parthenogenesis occurs in the wild.

"It is possible that parthenogenesis could become more common in these sharks if population densities become so low that females have trouble finding mates," said Mahmood Shivji, one of the scientists and director of the Guy Harvey Research Institute at Nova Southeastern University in Florida.

The DNA fingerprinting techniques used by the scientists are identical to those used in human paternity testing.

Chapman, who is with the Institute for Ocean Conservation Science at Stony Brook, was assisted in the study by Beth Firchau of the Virginia Aquarium.

Chapman and Shivji were on the team that made the first discovery of virgin birth involving the Nebraska shark.

[erb0087]

"Who"s to say God didn"t send Jesus back as a shark?"

Posted by smurfcrusher at 07:36 PM : Oct 10, 2008

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I think that"s highly unlikely, despite the common fish symbol Christians have been using for Jesus Christ ever since the days of the catacombs.

Jesus is quoted in the New Testament as promising to return "on the clouds."

Have sharks ever used that mode of transportation ? No, and if they were "flying fish" they wouldn"t need clouds at all.

In fact, "flying sharks" has become a proverbial expression.

As in, "John McCain, our next President. Sure, when sharks fly."

[erb0087]

***, I thought my joke was original.

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"How did they know the shark was a virgin? Did it collect Star Trek action figures?"

Posted by easeup at 02:52 PM : Oct 10, 2008

[erb0087]

"That is really interesting to hear. Plus how did they really know it was a virgin?"

Posted by golfinggirrl at 04:43 PM : Oct 10, 2008

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They found a lot of "Star Trek" posters and memorabilia in the aquarium after the shark''s unfortunate demise.

[rushlimpdrug]

I will hold mass for the Shurch of Shark tomorrow.

To all followers you can purchase a hook, line,
and sinker to commemorate the death of Him.

"For he took a bite out of
all of us so that we can all
learn to bite back"
-Sharus 3:17

[smurfcrusher]

"What?! A shark gave birth without having *** prior?!...

WHO FCKING CARES?????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Posted by starsnbars12

Well, the boy sharks are really pissed. All the alimony, none of the fun!

[smurfcrusher]

Who''s to say God didn''t send Jesus back as a shark?

Posted by smurfcrusher at 07:36 PM : Oct 10, 2008

I will, I see no point in it."

Posted by ToolMangler

Maybe God sent Him back as a shark so we won''t destroy the environment.

Such as by, making shark-fin soup.

"He died so we can have tasty soup...!"

[babooph]

Then Mary......

[nothappyatall]

I know what it was - a mutation from that melamine tained food from China and low-level radioactive steel they have been shipping back to the US in all their steel products we buy.

[stopsocialis]

WE MAKE OUR OWN HEAVEN OR HELL AFTER DEATH. IF YA WANT TO SEE YOUR PRIVIOUSLY PASSED ON LOVE ONES AFTER YOU PASS ON THEN YOU WILL
posted by benice6

-Please share with us your afterlife experience where you died and came back to life in order to verify your claims above. That must''ve been some journey for you!

[nothappyatall]

God did it! Well, that`s what the Xians say...
Posted by Nancy_Naive

You know, that makes perfect sense given the violence and death in the buybull- that this god thing would create a baby shark and then knowing in advance- allow it to be canabalized and eaten by the other sharks in the tank, and in the other case he killed the mother shark just before the pup was almost full term- it truly fits that xtian god of the buybull.