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Virgin Birth in Crocodiles
June 15 , 2023
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- Scientists say they have documented the first virgin (without male partner) birth in a crocodile.
- The crocodile named Coquita, had been living alone in a Costa Rican Zoo called Parque Reptilandia for 16 years.
- In 2018, a cluster of 14 eggs was found in the enclosure.
- One of those eggs was later found to contain a fully formed crocodile fetus.
- The ability of reproducing without males is not new in the animal kingdom.
- It’s called facultative parthenogenesis, where the offspring only has DNA from the mother.
- It has been previously observed in snakes and lizards and some types of fish such as sharks, rays and sawfish.
- However, this is the first time that such an occurrence has been documented in Crocodilia order.
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