A Louisiana aquarium welcomed a baby shark born under mysterious conditions, the aquarium said Friday.
The swell shark, nicknamed Yoko, hatched on Jan. 3, according to the Shreveport Aquarium. What makes the birth mysterious is that the tank is home to two female sharks who haven’t been in contact with a male in over three years.
“This situation is incredible and shows the resilience of this species,” Greg Barrick, the curator of live animals at Shreveport Aquarium, said in a news release.
The egg was first spotted eight months ago, but it may have gone undetected in the tank for a month or two, according to the aquarium. The aquarium will work to determine if the baby shark was born via parthenogenesis, also known as asexual reproduction, or via delayed fertilization. A DNA analysis once the pup is big enough for a blood draw will provide answers, but it will likely take months.
“We are very excited in the coming months to confirm whether this was indeed a case of parthenogenesis or if it was delayed fertilization,” Barrick said. “It really proves that life… uh… finds a way,” he added, referencing 1993’s “Jurassic Park,” in which Jeff Goldblum says the same thing while discussing how a group of all female dinosaurs could reproduce.
Shreveport Aquarium
While Yoko the shark, currently being monitored off exhibit, is “thriving,” the aquarium warned that sharks born through rare reproductive events can face significant challenges.
“Should Yoko’s time with us be brief, it will still leave an unforgettable legacy, contributing invaluable insights to the study of shark reproduction and conservation efforts,” the aquarium said in a news release.
Swell sharks are native to the coastal waters of the eastern Pacific, according to the aquarium. They’re known for their ability to swell their bodies with water or air as a way of deterring predators. While most species of sharks give birth to live young, some species — like the swell shark — are oviparous, which means they lay eggs.
Parthenogenesis can occur in sharks, lizards and snakes. It can also happen in some species of birds.
