Wichita, Kan. - (UPI) -- The virgin birth of two Komodo dragons at a Kansas zoo is being consider as neither miraculous nor that unusual.
The two baby lizards hatched at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita are the first to be produced in North America through a biological process known as parthenogesis that has been recorded twice before.
"We never had a male dragon at the zoo," reptile curator Nate Nelson said. "And there were no tramps that came wandering through, either."
Parthenogesis doesn't require a male. The process occurs in plants and some lower animals, although scientists say it can happen now and then in some vertebrate species.
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Full Version: Fatherless Kimodo dragons hatched
QUOTE (Owlscrying @ Feb 8 2008, 01:16 AM) 
Wichita, Kan. - (UPI) -- The virgin birth of two Komodo dragons at a Kansas zoo is being consider as neither miraculous nor that unusual.
The two baby lizards hatched at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita are the first to be produced in North America through a biological process known as parthenogesis that has been recorded twice before.
"We never had a male dragon at the zoo," reptile curator Nate Nelson said. "And there were no tramps that came wandering through, either."
Parthenogesis doesn't require a male. The process occurs in plants and some lower animals, although scientists say it can happen now and then in some vertebrate species.
go
The two baby lizards hatched at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita are the first to be produced in North America through a biological process known as parthenogesis that has been recorded twice before.
"We never had a male dragon at the zoo," reptile curator Nate Nelson said. "And there were no tramps that came wandering through, either."
Parthenogesis doesn't require a male. The process occurs in plants and some lower animals, although scientists say it can happen now and then in some vertebrate species.
go
I was doing a study at Chester zoo when it happened there in late 2006. Interesting animals.
QUOTE (Owlscrying @ Feb 8 2008, 01:16 AM)
Wichita, Kan. - (UPI) -- The virgin birth of two Komodo dragons at a Kansas zoo is being consider as neither miraculous nor that unusual.
The two baby lizards hatched at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita are the first to be produced in North America through a biological process known as parthenogesis that has been recorded twice before.
"We never had a male dragon at the zoo," reptile curator Nate Nelson said. "And there were no tramps that came wandering through, either."
Parthenogesis doesn't require a male. The process occurs in plants and some lower animals, although scientists say it can happen now and then in some vertebrate species.
go
The two baby lizards hatched at the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita are the first to be produced in North America through a biological process known as parthenogesis that has been recorded twice before.
"We never had a male dragon at the zoo," reptile curator Nate Nelson said. "And there were no tramps that came wandering through, either."
Parthenogesis doesn't require a male. The process occurs in plants and some lower animals, although scientists say it can happen now and then in some vertebrate species.
go
I've heard about this before too. I think it was given as a possible explanation of Jesus if he ever existed.
that's awsome
People try not to hit reply to what's so obvious so you won't take up much page-space, as for the dragons, I didn't know those huge lizards could mate that way, is that a type of evolution or something ?
QUOTE (Cronus @ Feb 8 2008, 07:59 PM)
People try not to hit reply to what's so obvious so you won't take up much page-space, as for the dragons, I didn't know those huge lizards could mate that way, is that a type of evolution or something ?
Yes, they live in a very small range on a couple of islands in Indonesia. Parthenogenesis allows them to increase their population quickly if they occupy a new island. It is a survival trait and quite unusual for a varanid.
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