Imprisoned in a tank hundreds of miles from a mate, Ibolya the female shark resorted to desperate measures. To the astonishment of her keepers, she spontaneously produced a perfectly healthy pup.The virgin birth is making biologists think again about one of the oldest and - in evolutionary terms - most successful creatures.
"When I saw the baby shark lying on the bottom of the tank I thought it was a joke," said Attilia Varga, the director of the Nyiregyahaza Centre in Hungary. "I was amazed when I realised it was a real shark."Ibolya, a white-tipped reef shark, has been with the aquarium for seven years. In that time, she has never shared water with a male.The pup has been a hit with visitors - but has left keepers looking for a bigger tank. They also plan to find a male so Ibolya can breed conventionally next time.Virgin birth - parthenogenesis - happens when an egg begins to divide without being fertilised. Common in insects, it is rare in vertebrates such as fish, birds and reptiles.
Scientists believe that sharks use it as an emergency survival mechanism. Normally animals rely on genetic diversity - the interplay of genes from two parents - to evolve. However, reproduction without sex is a useful stopgap.Sharks are one of Nature's great survivors, appearing in the oceans 400million years ago - before the dinosaurs. Normally their eggs are fertilised inside the female.In the white tip and most other species, the female gives birth to live young.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Categories
Amazing
(83)
Humor
(47)
weird
(44)
Interesting
(43)
cool
(40)
Incredible
(34)
beautiful
(26)
Animal
(20)
World News
(19)
wonderful
(18)
Dogs
(15)
Crazy Stuff
(13)
Nasa
(11)
believe it or not
(11)
Strange
(10)
Bizarre
(9)
Science
(9)
unusual
(9)
Amazing Fact
(8)
Artwork
(8)
awesome
(8)
Baby
(7)
Interesting fact
(6)
Ugliest Dog
(6)
World
(6)
Amazing Animals
(5)
Amazingly
(5)
Cat
(5)
Pets and Animal
(5)
Woman
(5)
Daredevil
(4)
Games
(4)
Horse
(4)
Man
(4)
Monster
(4)
Pregnant man
(4)
Technology
(4)
fattest man
(4)
space
(4)
Amazing photo
(3)
Britney Spears
(3)
Car
(3)
Cow
(3)
Dolphins
(3)
Fat
(3)
Fishing
(3)
Health and Fitness
(3)
Miscellenous
(3)
Monkey
(3)
Oldest
(3)
Shark
(3)
record breaking
(3)
sea
(3)
spider
(3)
wedding
(3)
woman's skill
(3)
Aeroplane
(2)
Aliens
(2)
Amy Winehouse
(2)
Angelina Jolie
(2)
Beer
(2)
Black Scorpion
(2)
Breakthrough Thinking
(2)
Britney
(2)
Cancer
(2)
Children
(2)
Chinese
(2)
Cigarette
(2)
Classic Cars
(2)
Current Events
(2)
Design
(2)
Dung Beetles
(2)
Eiffel Tower
(2)
Electric guitar
(2)
Elephant
(2)
Exotic fish
(2)
Expensive
(2)
Extraordinary
(2)
Faces
(2)
Family
(2)
Fashion
(2)
Fat Boy
(2)
Fergie
(2)
Food
(2)
Giant
(2)
Grand Father
(2)
Guinness Book
(2)
Guinness World Records
(2)
Halloween
(2)
Historical Perspectives
(2)
Hot Issues
(2)
Human Tiger
(2)
Human being
(2)
Koala bear
(2)
Latest News
(2)
Latest Trend
(2)
Leg
(2)
Life on Mars
(2)
Married
(2)
Medical
(2)
Medical Breakthrough
(2)
Mother
(2)
Motor Vehicle
(2)
Nature
(2)
Nature errors
(2)
New Discoveries
(2)
New Discovery
(2)
New Drug
(2)
Olympic
(2)
People Making a Difference
(2)
Photo Perspectives
(2)
Robot
(2)
Rubbish
(2)
Scientist
(2)
Sheep
(2)
Snake-girl
(2)
Sound
(2)
Stunts
(2)
Tattoos
(2)
Technology News
(2)
Telephone
(2)
Travelling
(2)
Tree
(2)
UFO
(2)
Venus
(2)
Wild Animal
(2)
X-ray
(2)
Zoo
(2)
biggest horse
(2)
face
(2)
jewellery
(2)
mystery man
(2)
photographer
(2)
plane
(2)
pumpkin
(2)
puppies
(2)
satellites
(2)
sexy
(2)
species
(2)
swimming pool
(2)
volcano
(2)
whale
(2)
14 spoons
(1)
400m plunge
(1)
Agriculture
(1)
Airlines
(1)
Albert Einstein
(1)
Albino Animals
(1)
Alcohol
(1)
Alesha Dixon
(1)
Alizee Poulicek
(1)
Amazing landmark
(1)
Amazing pictures
(1)
American dream
(1)
Amputee
(1)
Ancient city
(1)
Andes
(1)
Anti-terror
(1)
Antibiotics
(1)
Apples
(1)
Architecture
(1)
BBC
(1)
BMW
(1)
Baldy
(1)
Balloons
(1)
Bangkok
(1)
Beaten
(1)
Bicycles
(1)
Big Problems
(1)
Big Shotz
(1)
BigDog
(1)
Biofuels
(1)
Bionic leg
(1)
Bizarre Fashion
(1)
Black magic
(1)
Body builder
(1)
Bound
(1)
Brad and Angelina
(1)
Bread
(1)
Brick Art
(1)
Britain
(1)
British Journalism
(1)
British sport
(1)
Brown Bears
(1)
Bubble-wrap
(1)
Bullet
(1)
Burmese python
(1)
C
(1)
Carrot
(1)
Cat Man
(1)
Celebrity
(1)
Chihuahua foetus
(1)
Chimps
(1)
Christina Aguilera
(1)
Circle
(1)
Circus
(1)
Climate
(1)
Cloud Formations
(1)
Council
(1)
Council workmen
(1)
Court
(1)
Crab
(1)
Credit
(1)
Credit crunched
(1)
Crispy Duck
(1)
Crows
(1)
Cruise ship
(1)
Cubans poach
(1)
Curvy Martine McCutcheon
(1)
Custom
(1)
Diabolical
(1)
Diamond
(1)
Diesel
(1)
Disclaimer
(1)
Dog Brain
(1)
Dog Liver
(1)
Dordogne River
(1)
Dresses
(1)
Driftwood sculpture
(1)
Dummy lenses
(1)
Dustbin
(1)
Eagle
(1)
Earthquake
(1)
Eggstrordinary
(1)
Electrochemistry
(1)
Elephants
(1)
Eminem’s
(1)
Entertainment
(1)
Explosive power
(1)
FOUR Ears
(1)
Faith
(1)
Famous
(1)
Fancy
(1)
Farmland
(1)
Fashion craze
(1)
Female Trainers
(1)
Fermented
(1)
Ferrari
(1)
Festival
(1)
Firefly
(1)
Fitness
(1)
Flintstones
(1)
Football
(1)
Footloose
(1)
Frankfurt
(1)
Frenzy
(1)
Fungus
(1)
Funny
(1)
Gang
(1)
Gannets
(1)
Gateway of India
(1)
Genetic mutation
(1)
Ghost
(1)
Giant Squid
(1)
Giant squash
(1)
Global warming
(1)
Gold Medal
(1)
Gold chain
(1)
Gorilla
(1)
Gost Lungs
(1)
Grand Canyon
(1)
Grandchildren
(1)
Graveyard
(1)
Great New Product
(1)
Green energy
(1)
Gymnastics
(1)
Haiti earthquake
(1)
Half-tonne
(1)
Handbrake
(1)
Helicopter
(1)
Hell
(1)
Hernia
(1)
Heron
(1)
Hi-tech
(1)
Highest Cities
(1)
Himalayas
(1)
Historic statue
(1)
Holy Quran
(1)
Hope
(1)
Horrific.vile
(1)
Horro
(1)
Horrors
(1)
Horse Stew
(1)
Hottest Chilli
(1)
House
(1)
Houses
(1)
Hunting
(1)
Ice Age
(1)
Icebergs
(1)
Icy pond
(1)
Illicit Use of Drugs
(1)
Incidents Involving Firearms
(1)
Insects
(1)
Iron
(1)
Italian
(1)
Japanese Monkey
(1)
Jennifer Aniston
(1)
Jennifer Anistonं
(1)
Jessica Alba
(1)
Jessica Simpson Nude
(1)
Jesus
(1)
Jetpack
(1)
Jolie
(1)
Jordan
(1)
Jules
(1)
Kim Cattrall
(1)
Kissing
(1)
Kiteboarder
(1)
Korea’s
(1)
Lake
(1)
Landmine.Injury
(1)
Largest Breast
(1)
Largest Giants
(1)
Lemon Shark
(1)
Lindsay Lohan
(1)
Lindsay Lohan lesbian
(1)
Little
(1)
Lorraine Kelly
(1)
Lounging lizards
(1)
Love-sick
(1)
MARZIPAN BABIES
(1)
MRSA
(1)
Malaysian tower
(1)
Manchester.
(1)
March
(1)
Mars
(1)
Meat
(1)
Metal
(1)
Microbial
(1)
Microlight
(1)
Montauk Monster
(1)
Mr Berlusconi
(1)
Mugger
(1)
Murphy and Edmonds
(1)
Mushrooms
(1)
Muslim
(1)
Muslim extremists
(1)
Mysterious
(1)
NOSE
(1)
Naan
(1)
Naked Superfood
(1)
National Park
(1)
Natural Breast
(1)
Neck
(1)
Necklace
(1)
Network
(1)
New Viewpoints
(1)
Next 9/11
(1)
Nicole Kidman
(1)
Oar Fish
(1)
Obese
(1)
Octopus
(1)
Official stamp
(1)
Oldest mum
(1)
Optical illusion
(1)
Orphan deer
(1)
PLANT LIFE
(1)
Pakistan
(1)
Penguin
(1)
Pensioner
(1)
Peter Jaeckel
(1)
Physical Inactivity
(1)
Pilgrims
(1)
Politics
(1)
Pony
(1)
Poor Diet
(1)
Poorest Countries
(1)
Prime Minister
(1)
Pumpkins
(1)
Purdeys Drink
(1)
Quotes
(1)
Red Bull Cola
(1)
Red Peppers
(1)
Rice
(1)
Robodog
(1)
Rodeos
(1)
Royal park
(1)
Rubbish Art
(1)
Russian Art
(1)
Sales
(1)
Sandwich
(1)
Schoenbrunn
(1)
Science fan
(1)
Scientists
(1)
Sea Serpent
(1)
SeaHorse Skewers
(1)
Sealife
(1)
Security
(1)
Sharks
(1)
Shell
(1)
Shoal
(1)
Sick
(1)
Sign
(1)
Silk Worm
(1)
Sip
(1)
Skin Cancer
(1)
Skydivers
(1)
Slaughter
(1)
Smallest girl
(1)
Smallest man
(1)
Smashing news
(1)
Snow sculpture
(1)
South Rim
(1)
Sparked fury
(1)
Spectacular
(1)
Spider Rock
(1)
Spooktacular
(1)
Sport
(1)
Squatter Camp
(1)
St Pancras
(1)
Stars
(1)
Statue of Liberty
(1)
Stunning
(1)
Sugar
(1)
Surfer
(1)
Surgeons
(1)
Surrogate mother
(1)
TONNES
(1)
Teenager
(1)
Tennessee
(1)
Thailand
(1)
The Jungle
(1)
Thomas Beatie
(1)
Thorax
(1)
Tiny premature
(1)
Titanic
(1)
Tobacco
(1)
Toilets
(1)
Tomb Art
(1)
Top 10 Entertainmen
(1)
Tower Bridge
(1)
Toxic
(1)
Train suicide
(1)
Triangle
(1)
Triplets
(1)
Truck
(1)
Tumble
(1)
Turtle
(1)
Twin brothers
(1)
Ugliest cat
(1)
Unusual technique
(1)
Vegetables
(1)
Vehicles
(1)
Victoria Beckham
(1)
Victoria’s Defence
(1)
Victory Column
(1)
Vodafone
(1)
Washing Machine
(1)
Watched
(1)
Water-Ice
(1)
Weatherman
(1)
White House
(1)
World's oldest man
(1)
Wrestling
(1)
Zoos
(1)
abandoned places
(1)
aircraft
(1)
aquarium
(1)
beach
(1)
beaver
(1)
biggest egg
(1)
body weight
(1)
boobs
(1)
bronze statue
(1)
burglars
(1)
charmers
(1)
chase
(1)
chest
(1)
cocooned parasitic
(1)
corals
(1)
craziest stunts
(1)
crowded बार
(1)
cycling race
(1)
damaged Airport
(1)
dazzling
(1)
deep canyon
(1)
disco
(1)
discover
(1)
dragon millipede
(1)
dramatic Pictures
(1)
face plant
(1)
fall
(1)
foolishness
(1)
fox
(1)
gemstones
(1)
guitars
(1)
heavens
(1)
hedgehogs
(1)
hippo
(1)
history
(1)
huntsman spider
(1)
intaranet
(1)
jumpers
(1)
jupitar
(1)
kangaroo
(1)
kitten
(1)
landmarks
(1)
leaves
(1)
lens
(1)
life-saving
(1)
lights
(1)
lobster
(1)
lonely
(1)
longest legs
(1)
loudspeaker
(1)
memphis
(1)
monsters
(1)
motorcycle
(1)
new video
(1)
nine-year-old
(1)
ocean
(1)
oddball
(1)
open brain coral
(1)
pandas
(1)
parkour
(1)
peacock
(1)
phone
(1)
photografy
(1)
pilot
(1)
pirate dog
(1)
planet
(1)
pole
(1)
regardless
(1)
runway
(1)
sex scenes
(1)
sex war
(1)
sexy full-body
(1)
skeletons
(1)
skinsuit
(1)
sky black
(1)
slasher movie
(1)
sleep
(1)
smallest bird
(1)
smile
(1)
starlings
(1)
stone-ishing
(1)
stuntman
(1)
sunset
(1)
surfing
(1)
surreal
(1)
swimmer
(1)
swimsuits
(1)
telegraph
(1)
tentacles
(1)
tissue
(1)
traceurs
(1)
transgender
(1)
twins
(1)
vistas
(1)
washing line
(1)
wetsuit
(1)
white deer
(1)
world record
(1)
world's smallest bodybuilder
(1)