Hammerhead Shark - (Virgin) Gives Birth

[Smiling JOe]

crazy story, reporting on the craziness of Ma Nature.

By SHAWN POGATCHNIK, Associated Press Writer Wed May 23, 4:59 PM ET


DUBLIN, Ireland - Female sharks can fertilize their own eggs and give birth without sperm from males, according to a new study of the asexual reproduction of a hammerhead in a U.S. zoo. (full story linked above)

 

[DuneAHH]

Fascinating...aren't sharks one of the most ancient ever evolving species along w/ rats and cockroaches? Makes one ponder why some species continue to evolve under any & all adverse conditions, while others become extinct?
In the big grand scheme of things, does our human influence really matter as much as we'd like to "think" it does?

 

[30A Skunkape]

It is called parthenogenesis and is really common in the invertebrate realm. I know some lizards (like komodo dragons) and amphibians can accomplish the task in addition to sharks. The only catch is that sharks still have to adhere to the XY chromosome system, thus making only little 'girls', so they really can't sustain a population via parthenogenesis as can many lower animals. I don't think this is evidence of evolution, rather a freak re-emergence of a rarely utilized, ancient capability. Neat stuff though

 

[Smiling JOe]

Makes one ponder why some species continue to evolve under any & all adverse conditions, while others become extinct?

Maybe some of us creatures are just a little more stubborn and unwilling to change and adapt to our environment.