AboutSpecies that reproduce sexually usually need two partners to reproduce, right? Right. What I didn’t know was, females of some species (that usually reproduce sexually) have apparently been observed to be able to reproduce without a mate—rarely, and when they’re in captivity and away from potential mates.
But now, virgin births have been observed in snakes–in the wild, with males present nearby!
They captured pregnant copperhead and cottonmouth female pit-vipers from the field, where males were present.
The snakes gave birth, allowing the scientists to study the physical and genetic characteristics of the litters. […]
“That’s between 2.5 and 5% of litters produced in these populations may be resulting from parthenogenesis.
“That’s quite remarkable for something that has been considered an evolutionary novelty,” he said.
No insights yet on how and why this happens, though, or what implications it may have.
But this is fascinating, nonetheless.