There has been another Virgin birth

quote:

---

In a rare and miraculous occurrence, a female Komodo dragon has produced three offspring without a male's assistance, according to a news release from the Chattanooga Zoo.

The three hatchlings were born on August 4, 2019, and DNA testing ensued in order to determine if Charlie, a first-time mother, had reproduced with the help of resident male Kadal, or on her own - a phenomenon known as parthenogenesis.

The DNA results showed the babies were the result of parthenogenesis, which is a type of reproduction where the female produces offspring without male fertilization. It's something Komodo dragons have evolved to do as they typically live isolated in the wild and often become violent when approached, the release states.

Female Komodo dragons carry WZ sex chromosomes, while males carry the ZZ type. When parthenogenesis happens, the mother can only create WW or ZZ eggs. Since eggs with the sex chromosomes of WW aren't viable, only ZZ eggs are left to produce all male hatchlings. Parthenogenesis is considered very rare, with the first case of a successful parthenogenesis reproduction in Komodo dragons recorded in 2006, according to the release.

---