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Virgin Birth

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Unraveling the Genetic Mystery of Virgin Births
science2 years ago

Unraveling the Genetic Mystery of Virgin Births

Scientists have discovered a genetic trigger for virgin births in fruit flies, allowing the ability to be passed down to subsequent female generations. By activating specific genes, researchers induced virgin birth in the fruit fly species Drosophila melanogaster. This ability was inherited by the offspring, who could reproduce either sexually or through virgin birth depending on the presence of males. Virgin birth, or parthenogenesis, is a survival strategy that ensures species continuation when males are absent. The study provides insights into the genetic basis of virgin birth and its potential implications for agriculture and pest control.

via SciTechDaily|
#fruit-flies#genetics#reproduction
Unraveling the Mystery of Asexual Animal Reproduction: Insights from Fruit Flies and Genetic Engineering
science2 years ago

Unraveling the Mystery of Asexual Animal Reproduction: Insights from Fruit Flies and Genetic Engineering

Scientists have successfully induced virgin birth, or parthenogenesis, in fruit flies by altering three genes, providing a genetic basis for this phenomenon. The genetically modified fruit flies were able to pass down their ability to reproduce without mating to subsequent generations. Virgin birth is thought to occur as a survival strategy when a species faces unfavorable conditions, such as a lack of mates. The findings have implications for food security, as virgin births may be becoming more common among crop pests. Modern agricultural practices, including the use of pesticides and homogeneous crops, could be contributing to this phenomenon.

via The Washington Post|
#crop-pests#fruit-flies#genetic-basis
American crocodile makes history with first-ever 'virgin birth'
science2 years ago

American crocodile makes history with first-ever 'virgin birth'

Scientists have documented the first-known occurrence of a "virgin birth" by a crocodile, which was found to be a result of facultative parthenogenesis (FP), or reproduction without the genetic contribution of males. The American crocodile is listed as "vulnerable" on the red list for International Union for Conservation of Nature. The discovery could lead to more information regarding the reptile's ancestors dating back to the Triassic or even Permian period.

via Fox News|
#crocodile#endangered-species#genetics
Costa Rican Crocodile Achieves First-Ever 'Virgin Birth' in Science's History Books.
science2 years ago

Costa Rican Crocodile Achieves First-Ever 'Virgin Birth' in Science's History Books.

Scientists have discovered the first-known instance of a “virgin birth” by a crocodile, which had been living in isolation for about 16 years at a Costa Rican zoo. The female crocodile produced a clutch of 14 eggs within her enclosure in 2018 despite having no contact with males for about 16 years. After three months of incubation, one of the eggs was found to contain a fully formed stillborn baby crocodile. Scientists tested the crocodile fetus’s genetic makeup and found DNA sequences showing it was a result of facultative parthenogenesis (FP), or reproduction without the genetic contribution of males.

via Al Jazeera English|
#costa-rica#crocodile#genetics
Costa Rican Crocodile Achieves Virgin Birth
science2 years ago

Costa Rican Crocodile Achieves Virgin Birth

Scientists have discovered the first-known instance of a "virgin birth" by a crocodile, which had been living in isolation for 16 years at a Costa Rican zoo. The female American crocodile laid 14 eggs in 2018, and after three months of incubation, one egg was found to contain a fully formed stillborn baby crocodile. Scientists tested the crocodile fetus' genetic makeup and found DNA sequences showing it was a result of facultative parthenogenesis (FP), or reproduction without the genetic contribution of males. The American crocodile is considered vulnerable and at risk of extinction in the wild.

via Reuters|
#crocodile#endangered-species#genetics
Virgin Birth Recorded in Female Crocodile in Costa Rica
science2 years ago

Virgin Birth Recorded in Female Crocodile in Costa Rica

Researchers have reported the first-ever virgin birth in crocodiles, where an 18-year-old crocodile living alone laid 14 eggs through asexual reproduction. However, none of the eggs hatched, and only seven appeared to be fertile. One egg contained a stillborn fetus that lacked paternal genes, confirming the virgin birth hypothesis. The researchers opened up the eggs to study them more closely and found that the offspring had identical genotypes to the mother at greater than 99.9% of her homozygous loci, demonstrating a lack of paternal alleles.

via Business Insider|
#asexual-reproduction#crocodile#genetics
Female Crocodile in Costa Rica Has First Known Virgin Birth
science2 years ago

Female Crocodile in Costa Rica Has First Known Virgin Birth

Researchers have found that an egg laid by a female crocodile living alone in a Costa Rica zoo was not only fertile, it also contained genetics only from its mother, resulting in a virgin birth. The crocodile had been isolated from other crocodiles its entire life. This type of reproduction is called facultative parthenogenesis and has been documented before in animals including birds, non-avian reptiles, specifically lizards and snakes, and certain types of fish, including sharks and stingrays.

via USA TODAY|
#crocodile#genetics#parthenogenesis
Female Crocodile in Costa Rica Has First Ever Recorded Virgin Birth
science2 years ago

Female Crocodile in Costa Rica Has First Ever Recorded Virgin Birth

Scientists have discovered the first known case of a "virgin birth" in a female crocodile that had no contact with males for about 16 years. The reptile was able to produce a fully formed foetus that was 99.9% genetically identical to her. This discovery suggests that its evolutionary ancestors such as the dinosaurs may also have been capable of self-reproduction. Virgin birth has been documented in species of birds, fish, lizards and snakes, but never before in crocodiles.

via The Guardian|
#crocodile#evolution#genetics
Female Crocodile Successfully Reproduces Through Virgin Birth
science2 years ago

Female Crocodile Successfully Reproduces Through Virgin Birth

A female American crocodile in a zoo in Costa Rica has been found to have made herself pregnant, producing a foetus that was 99.9% genetically identical to herself. The phenomenon of so-called "virgin birth" has been found in species of birds, fish and other reptiles, but never before in crocodiles. The trait might be inherited from an evolutionary ancestor, so dinosaurs might also have been capable of self-reproduction. Virgin births may be more common in crocodiles, and have gone unnoticed until now because people have not been looking for instances of them.

via BBC|
#crocodile#evolution#genetics
Female crocodile in Costa Rica experiences virgin birth.
science2 years ago

Female crocodile in Costa Rica experiences virgin birth.

Scientists have discovered the first ever recorded case of a "virgin birth" in a crocodile at a reptile park in Costa Rica. The female crocodile had been isolated for 16 years before laying a clutch of 14 eggs, seven of which were viable. Genetic analysis showed that one of the eggs contained a fully-formed, but non-viable fetus that was almost identical to the mother. The discovery provides insights into the evolutionary origins of the trait and could shed light on the reproductive capabilities of dinosaurs.

via Livescience.com|
#crocodile#evolution#parthenogenesis