Virgin Komoo Dragon Birth

skinheaddave

SkorpionSkin
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Aug 15, 2002
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There are plenty of parthenogenic lizards. Many lacertids, some night lizards etc.

Cheers,
Dave
 

Wade

Arachnoking
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Aug 16, 2002
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What he said! In fact,some whiptail lizards (Cnemidophorus) reproduce EXCLUSIVELY through parthenogenesis, and there are no males at all!

It's also been documented in several species of snakes.

Wade
 

Ganoderma

Arachnobaron
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Jan 24, 2006
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467
But never before in Varanids......It seems we are learing all sorts of new things about the varanid group the last couple years! stay tuned :eek:
 

EAD063

Arachnoprince
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Oct 3, 2006
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Wow. Didn't know lizzards did that also, I was under the basic assumption only anthropods did it. Happy that a species that isn't doing all that well has some shot at surviving..... Does anyone know why this hasen't been documented before in the dragons? The UK is along way from where they originate, I was thinking along the lines of climate inducing that sort of thing. Either that or no one has ever kept a female isolated long enough to figure out they were usuing parthenogenisis. Good thing humans can't....or we'd be even more overpopulated... or we would have blown the world up by now. LOL

Thanks Dave and Wade.
 

Brak

Arachnoknight
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Dec 22, 2003
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183
This is very common in Phasmids. I thought they were producing clones though.
This article mentions they (the lizards) are not exact copies of the mother. How is this variation introduced? Does this variation continue with all types of parthenogenisis? Just curious....in a non-applied way...thanks

John
 

Ganoderma

Arachnobaron
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Jan 24, 2006
Messages
467
There is no way of proving with 100% certainty that any wild animal has not mated. There will always be doubt.

So, does anyone know if this girl was at least captive hatched? or was she in fact from the wild?

Wow. Didn't know lizzards did that also, I was under the basic assumption only anthropods did it. Happy that a species that isn't doing all that well has some shot at surviving..... Does anyone know why this hasen't been documented before in the dragons? The UK is along way from where they originate, I was thinking along the lines of climate inducing that sort of thing. Either that or no one has ever kept a female isolated long enough to figure out they were usuing parthenogenisis. Good thing humans can't....or we'd be even more overpopulated... or we would have blown the world up by now. LOL

Thanks Dave and Wade.
 

Dom

Arachnolord
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Nov 20, 2005
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665
There is no way of proving with 100% certainty that any wild animal has not mated. There will always be doubt.

So, does anyone know if this girl was at least captive hatched? or was she in fact from the wild?
Apparently 2 Komodos have produced "virgin eggs" this year. One from captive raised female that has never been housed with a male. The other one was with a male a couple of years ago. Genetic testing has confirmed that the babies in both cases were parthenogenetic. The male that one of the females was housed with a couple/few years ago was also tested and it confirmed that none of his DNA was in the offspring.
I was listening to a news radio bit where the curator at the zoo was discussing the cases- very interesting!!
 

HerpCenter

Arachnopeon
Joined
Jan 27, 2007
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18
Hello,

I found this entire thing to be very interesting. I also found it interesting that no females were born, nor would be born according to the researchers. This apparently helps to increase the chance of survival as the males could potentially breed back to the mother if the population required offspring to continue.
 
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