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LONDON (Reuters) - Flora, a Komodo dragon who has never mated or even mixed with a male, became a mother and father of five this week, British scientists said on Wednesday.

Scientists announced in December in the journal Nature that Flora had fertilized the eggs herself without any male help, in a process culminating in parthenogenesis or "virgin birth."

"When the first of the babies hatched, we didn't know whether to make her a cup of tea or pass her the cigars," said Kevin Buley a curator at the Chester Zoo in England where Flora and her babies are said to be doing fine.

Other lizards can fertilize their eggs by parthenogenesis, but Buley and his team said it was the first time it has been shown that Komodo dragons, the world's largest lizards, can also accomplish it.

You gotta love this little guy:

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koan;530332 wrote: Scientists announced in December in the journal Nature that Flora had fertilized the eggs herself without any male help, in a process culminating in parthenogenesis or "virgin birth."


The article itself was interesting from the POV that big lizards can do this, which

I didn't know.... however, to say that the animal had "fertilized the eggs

herself" must be inaccurate - with bees, etc., which I know a little about, and

are mentioned in articles about this K.D., the workers (females with undeveloped

ovaries) can, under certain circumstances, produce eggs - however, these are

unfertilised, and result only in the hatching of drones. I wonder whether the

offspring of this unfortunate animal are soley male.

"When the first of the babies hatched, we didn't know whether to make her a cup of tea or pass her the cigars," said Kevin Buley a curator at the Chester Zoo in England where Flora and her babies are said to be doing fine.

That's the part I like :wah:

Here's a good pic of a big guy:

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Parthenogenesis is a complicated process which can be "done" by several reptiles, including the whiptail lizards in Texas and Vietnamese Walking Sticks.

I love to discuss this at the zoo and watch mens' faces change when they realize they're not "essential" to some fertility processes.

:sneaky:

Lulu2;530402 wrote: Parthenogenesis is a complicated process which can be "done" by several reptiles, including the whiptail lizards in Texas and Vietnamese Walking Sticks.

I love to discuss this at the zoo and watch mens' faces change when they realize they're not "essential" to some fertility processes.

sneaky:


Interestingly, this KD, because of the genetics of this type of parthenogenesis,

will produce only male offspring.