'Virgin Births' Found in Florida Fish Could Be Evolutionary Weaponry Against Extinction
Sawfish in Florida surprised scientists who recently discovered that many members of the species were born to virgin mothers.
Researchers at Stony Brook University along with others from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC), and The Field Museum found that nearly three percent of sawfish in a Florida estuary were born through asexual reproduction. The species is critically endangered and is fighting extinction. Scientists speculate asexual reproduction may happen in the species due to unavailability of male mates.
"We were conducting routine DNA fingerprinting of the sawfish found in this area in order to see if relatives were often reproducing with relatives because of their small population size. What the DNA fingerprints told us was altogether more surprising; female sawfish are sometimes reproducing without even mating," said the study's lead author Andrew Fields.
Asexual reproduction or parthenogenesis is rare in wild species and more so in vertebrates. It occurs when an unfertilized egg absorbs a sister cells and turns into an embryo. Until now researchers believed that offspring of such births can survive.
"The seven parthenogens we found looked to be in perfect health and were normal size for their age. This suggests parthenogenesis is not a reproductive dead end, assuming they grow to maturity and reproduce," Gregg Poulakis of FFWCC.
Given their surprise finding during a routine exercise, researchers believe more such cases of births are hidden among other species. They have urged others to look for parthenogenesis in their DNA studies.
