Shark virgin birth produces multiple, viable offspring Article

Feldheim, KA, Chapman, DD, Sweet, D et al. (2010). Shark virgin birth produces multiple, viable offspring . JOURNAL OF HEREDITY, 101(3), 374-377. 10.1093/jhered/esp129

cited authors

  • Feldheim, KA; Chapman, DD; Sweet, D; Fitzpatrick, S; Prodöhl, PA; Shivji, MS; Snowden, B

authors

abstract

  • Facultative automictic parthenogenesis has only recently been confirmed in the most ancient jawed vertebrates, the chondrichthyan fishes (sharks, batoids, and chimeras). To date, however, in both documented cases, the females have only produced a single parthenogen offspring, and none of these have lived for more than 3 days. We present a genetically verified case of automictic parthenogenesis by a white-spotted bamboo shark (Chiloscyllium plagiosum), in which at least 2 parthenogens were produced and survived for 5 years or more. These findings demonstrate that some female sharks are capable of producing, multiple, viable offspring through parthenogenesis. © 2009 The American Genetic Association. All rights reserved.

publication date

  • May 6, 2010

published in

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

start page

  • 374

end page

  • 377

volume

  • 101

issue

  • 3