The scientists’ findings were reported in the Biology Letters journal and the research team was made up of researchers from Queen's University Belfast, the Southeastern University in Florida, and the Henry Doorly Zoo.
This “virgin birth” means of reproduction is known as parthenogenesis, and it occurs when an egg cell develops as an embryo without the addition of any genetic material from a male sperm.
The scientist think that because of dwindling shark numbers in the wild and an inability to find males to mate with the females may resort to parthenogenesis. However, they point out that this is likely to weaken populations still further because of the lack of new genetic material being introduced by male sharks.
