Susan Freitas and Darren Parker: How does this all-female species reproduce?

How does this all-female species reproduce?

In 2021, workers at a Sardinian aquarium were stunned by the birth of a smooth-hound shark. What was shocking was that, for the last decade, the shark's mother had been living only with other females. So, how was this birth possible? And can other species reproduce this way? Susana Freitas and Darren Parker explore the phenomenon of asexual reproduction known as parthenogenesis. [Directed by Petya Zlateva, Compote Collective, narrated by Jack Cutmore-Scott, music by BigBanda SoundScapers].

Some animals can reproduce without males through parthenogenesis, a process highlighted by the surprise birth of a fatherless shark named Ispera after a decade among females. Over 80 vertebrate species, from Komodo dragons to snakes, have been found to use this method, which lets populations grow quickly but limits genetic diversity. While sexual reproduction brings costly risks, it mixes genes and helps populations survive long-term challenges. Parthenogenetic species sometimes beat the evolutionary odds by hybridizing or even stealing genes from other organisms.