Posted on 02/08/2008 10:57:55 AM PST by forkinsocket
Imprisoned in a tank hundreds of miles from a mate, Ibolya the female shark resorted to desperate measures. To the astonishment of her keepers, she spontaneously produced a perfectly healthy pup.
The virgin birth is making biologists think again about one of the oldest and - in evolutionary terms - most successful creatures.
"When I saw the baby shark lying on the bottom of the tank I thought it was a joke," said Attilia Varga, the director of the Nyiregyahaza Centre in Hungary. "I was amazed when I realised it was a real shark."
Ibolya, a white-tipped reef shark, has been with the aquarium for seven years. In that time, she has never shared water with a male.
The pup has been a hit with visitors - but has left keepers looking for a bigger tank. They also plan to find a male so Ibolya can breed conventionally next time.
Virgin birth - parthenogenesis - happens when an egg begins to divide without being fertilised. Common in insects, it is rare in vertebrates such as fish, birds and reptiles.
Scientists believe that sharks use it as an emergency survival mechanism. Normally animals rely on genetic diversity - the interplay of genes from two parents - to evolve. However, reproduction without sex is a useful stopgap.
Sharks are one of Nature's great survivors, appearing in the oceans 400million years ago - before the dinosaurs. Normally their eggs are fertilised inside the female.
In the white tip and most other species, the female gives birth to live young.
Scientists and theologians - often in error seldom in doubt.
Thinking you “know everything” isn’t a trait unique to scientists; in fact, it’s not even common among the majority of scientists.
The trait is rampant among many of my fellow religious folks, however.
Most likely some lawyer went swimming in the tank.
Following the precedent, I’m sure that the Jewfish will disagree, seeing as how this shark hasn’t performed all of the tasks of the Shark Messiah.
Has nobody heard of the Sperm Whale?
Finally an answer I can understand.
Are they sure that none of the park worker, errr, gratified himself by the aquarium?
The key is whether or not the pup is male. If sharks are such great survivors, and in the abscense of a male, females can still have pups, I would assume it would be the opposite sex so she could mate regularly next time to continue the species more reliably.
This of course eliminates genetic diversity....
Reminds me of a joke.
A woman notices her cat is getting fat and takes it to the Vet to figure out what is wrong.
After a few minutes, the vet declares “This cat is pregnant”
The woman astonished, replies “Impossible! She never leaves the house and hasn’t had any contact with strange cats!”
The vet says “Lady, she’s pregnant, she must have gotten out somehow”
The lady shakes her head “Nope, not possible. I live two blocks down, shall we go take a look”.
They head off to the ladies house for inspection. After a few minutes go by a big ole tomcat struts by. The vet says “Ah HA! There’s the Tom Cat!”
The lady responds “Naw, that’s impossible, that’s her brother.”
Of course, I’m referring to a feminist as a member of NOW, not the strong, independent, and beautiful women that vote Republican...like my wife!
++++++++++
Nice cover
LOL! That was great!
Experience is a great teacher! LOL!
bmflr
Now if one of the handlers finds a Christ-like image on the shark’s food, we’ve really got something.
I’m still in awe at all the sheeple who flocked to the street salt and dirty water runnings under a viaduct in Chicago that looked “like” the Virgin Mary.
LOL that’s the first thing that popped into my head
So whatever killed off all dinosaurs -- including the sea ones -- didn't kill off the sharks. Interesting! That kind of screws up many theories... (sigh)
Sex without reproduction also can be useful.
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