Facultative parthenogenesis in a critically endangered wild vertebrate

Facultative parthenogenesis — the ability of sexually reproducing species to sometimes produce offspring asexually — is known from a wide range of ordinarily sexually reproducing vertebrates in captivity, including some birds, reptiles and sharks [1–3]. Despite this, free-living parthenogens have ne...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Current biology 2015-06, Vol.25 (11), p.R446-R447
Main Authors: Fields, Andrew T., Feldheim, Kevin A., Poulakis, Gregg R., Chapman, Demian D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Endangered Species
Female
Male
Parthenogenesis
Skates (Fish) - physiology
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Summary:Facultative parthenogenesis — the ability of sexually reproducing species to sometimes produce offspring asexually — is known from a wide range of ordinarily sexually reproducing vertebrates in captivity, including some birds, reptiles and sharks [1–3]. Despite this, free-living parthenogens have never been observed in any of these taxa in the wild, although two free-living snakes were recently discovered each gestating a single parthenogen — one copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix) and one cottonmouth (Agkistrodon piscivorus) [1]. Vertebrate parthenogens are characterized as being of the homogametic sex (e.g., females in sharks, males in birds) and by having elevated homozygosity compared to their mother [1–3], which may reduce their viability [4]. Although it is unknown if either of the parthenogenetic snakes would have been carried to term or survived in the wild, facultative parthenogenesis might have adaptive significance [1]. If this is true, it is reasonable to hypothesize that parthenogenesis would be found most often at low population density, when females risk reproductive failure because finding mates is difficult [5]. Here, we document the first examples of viable parthenogens living in a normally sexually reproducing wild vertebrate, the smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata). We also provide a simple approach to screen any microsatellite DNA database for parthenogens, which will enable hypothesis-driven research on the significance of vertebrate parthenogenesis in the wild. Fields et al. provide the first evidence of viable offspring produced through parthenogenesis in a wild vertebrate, the smalltooth sawfish.
ISSN:0960-9822
1879-0445
DOI:10.1016/j.cub.2015.04.018