Female crocodile that lived alone for 16 years had a virgin birth

June 7, 2023 8:14 PM

Female crocodile that lived alone for 16 years had a virgin birth. An American crocodile managed to reproduce by herself, in a process scientists call parthenogenesis, or virgin birth, DNA reveals. Scientists say the discovery suggests the phenomenon may have also occurred in extinct reptiles like dinosaurs.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (24 comments total)

Life, Uh... Finds a way.
posted by freethefeet at 8:21 PM on June 7, 2023 [28 favorites]

Mourning geckos reproduce exclusively via parthenogenesis. Males are very rare and tend to be infertile. The females can reproduce alone but are more likely to do so after “mating” with each other. They’re basically lesbian separatists.

They’re popular as pets, but the exponential population growth is a challenge. They’ll eat each other’s babies, though, so…yeah, life finds a way.
posted by Comet Bug at 8:49 PM on June 7, 2023 [17 favorites]

No one move a muscle as the dead come home
posted by hototogisu at 8:59 PM on June 7, 2023 [14 favorites]

Agnes of Gadus
posted by Rumple at 9:34 PM on June 7, 2023 [1 favorite]

Oviparity clarity:
A croc in captivity
Parthenogenetically
Laid eggs: without boys!

Reptilians, solo-ing,
Mixing their chromosomes,
Semi-aquatically
To Bob Katter's joy...
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 9:35 PM on June 7, 2023 [8 favorites]

Alone in an "enclosure" her whole life, and then they stole her eggs, too.
posted by fritley at 10:10 PM on June 7, 2023 [6 favorites]

Pathogenesis yes, but can it really be a virgin birth when crocs lay eggs?

(I am not a biologist or zoologist or anything like that, so I welcome being put in my place by someone who actually knows something if I'm wrong!)
posted by Dysk at 10:21 PM on June 7, 2023 [1 favorite]

When do the Three Wise Tortoises show up?
posted by y2karl at 12:13 AM on June 8, 2023 [9 favorites]

In completely unrelated news, the groundskeeper was fired.
posted by kickingtheground at 1:21 AM on June 8, 2023 [16 favorites]

When do the Three Wise Tortoises show up?

much, much, muuuuucccch later
posted by chavenet at 1:47 AM on June 8, 2023 [18 favorites]

They’ll eat each other’s babies, though, so…yeah, life finds a way.

OK, Mr. Goldblum, you can put your shirt back on now.
posted by y2karl at 1:54 AM on June 8, 2023 [6 favorites]

🎶 "Sisters... are doin' it for themselves!" 🎶
posted by Fiberoptic Zebroid and The Hypnagogic Jerks at 4:14 AM on June 8, 2023 [6 favorites]

Between that and photos of the sky, the front page of nytimes.com was pretty apocalypse-y yesterday.
posted by heyitsgogi at 4:28 AM on June 8, 2023

I know it’s funny because of the Jesus connection, but here’s got to be a better non-science way to describe her than virgin. Her sex life before being captured was her own business.
posted by Mchelly at 5:09 AM on June 8, 2023 [6 favorites]

I think using the science word is the best way. Parthenogenesis, since it describes it directly.
posted by tiny frying pan at 5:23 AM on June 8, 2023 [5 favorites]

A woman needs a man like a croc needs a bicycle.
posted by aneel at 5:47 AM on June 8, 2023 [4 favorites]

Jesus H. Crocodile
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 5:56 AM on June 8, 2023 [3 favorites]

Between that and photos of the sky, the front page of nytimes.com was pretty apocalypse-y yesterday.

A 'rough beast', to be sure.
posted by jamjam at 6:17 AM on June 8, 2023 [1 favorite]

There's a joke to be made here about jesus lizards...
posted by Dysk at 7:31 AM on June 8, 2023 [1 favorite]

Reptile Jesus has finally arrived!

Unless it grows up to be a big, black nemesis.
posted by FatherDagon at 7:31 AM on June 8, 2023 [2 favorites]

as good a time as any to revisit Big Lizard in My Backyard
posted by elkevelvet at 7:37 AM on June 8, 2023 [1 favorite]

I just knew we'd hit Big Kaiju here inside of 24 hours and I was right.
posted by y2karl at 8:53 AM on June 8, 2023

I love coming into a thread like this and seeing all the comments I was going to make: Sisters doin' it for themselves, mourning geckos, and Shriekback have all been referenced. You are my true tribe, Metafilter.
posted by The otter lady at 9:20 AM on June 8, 2023 [3 favorites]

Hail S̶o̶b̶e̶k̶ A̶m̶m̶i̶t̶ Sobek-neferu (?)
posted by bartleby at 11:43 AM on June 8, 2023