This Baby Shark Was Born Without A Dad, Causing A Flurry Of Commotion
At an aquarium in Louisiana, the arrival of a baby swell shark has caused a flurry of commotion, especially since no male sharks seem to have been involved.
The shark pup was named Yoko and hatched in January from an egg in a tank that contained only two female sharks.
According to Shreveport Aquarium, neither of the sharks had encountered a male for more than three years. The staff is currently monitoring Yoko’s health, so the shark pup is not available for visitors to observe.
“This situation is incredible and shows the resilience of the species,” said Greg Barrick, the curator of live animals at the aquarium. “It really proves that life…finds a way.”
There are two theories to explain how Yoko was born despite the lack of male sharks in the tank. One possibility is a phenomenon called parthenogenesis, a rare form of reproduction where the embryo develops from an egg without fertilization. Typically, parthenogenesis takes place when females are isolated from males.
“How parthenogenesis kicks in or what cues the females…to begin the process remains to be discovered,” said Kevin Feldheim, the manager of the Pritzker Laboratory for Molecular Systematics and Evolution.
“In general, we think that this is a last-ditch effort by the female to pass on her genes. It speaks to how adaptable sharks are in terms of their reproduction.”
It has been witnessed in several shark species, including the zebra shark and the white-spotted bamboo shark. Sharks are not the only species known to undergo parthenogenesis. The phenomenon has been seen in some birds, fish, snakes, and lizards.
The other possibility is that Yoko’s mother might have mated with a male years ago, but the fertilization occurred only recently in a process called delayed fertilization.
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Scientists do not know much about how long female sharks can store sperm. In one shark species, it was discovered that a female was able to store sperm for at least 45 months.
When Yoko is old enough, Shreveport Aquarium will conduct genetic testing on the pup to figure out how it came to exist. In the meantime, Yoko is being watched carefully since young sharks born under unusual circumstances tend to experience developmental issues.
No matter what happens to Yoko, the shark pup’s unique birth will be remembered forever and contribute valuable information to the study of shark reproduction and conservation efforts.
Swell sharks in the wild are native to the coastal waters of the eastern Pacific. They get their name from their ability to swell up their bodies with air or water to almost twice their original size, which makes them more difficult to bite and helps drive predators away. They can live for around 20 to 35 years.
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