First 'Virgin Birth' in a Crocodile Reported by Researchers

The first documented instance of a crocodile engaging in facultative parthenogenesis, more commonly referred to as “virgin birth,” has been announced by researchers.

As detailed in a research article published by the Royal Society’s Biology Letters journal last week, the findings point to what scientists are calling “the first evidence of [virgin birth] in a crocodilian, the American crocodile.” The breakthrough began back in January 2018, at which point 14 eggs were found inside an enclosure inhabited by an 18-year-old female crocodile in Costa Rica. Per researchers, this croc had lived in isolation for the duration of its life; despite this, seven of the 14 eggs “appeared to be fertile.”

These eggs were placed in artificial incubation; three months into this process, all eggs failed to hatch and were thus subjected to being opened for inspection. While six eggs were determined to have contents deemed “not discernible,” one egg did have a fully formed but non-viable fetus inside. Through whole-genome sequencing data, it was determined that this showed the first known case of so-called “virgin birth” in a croc.

Speaking with BBC News last week, Dr. Warren Booth—a Virginia Tech professor who helped lead the research in question—tempered any interpretation of this case as being a shock to scientists. Per Booth, “virgin birth” instances are common in other animals—sharks and lizards among them—and have likely not been recorded in crocs until now because researchers simply weren’t seeking them out.

''There was a big increase in reports of parthenogenesis when people started keeping pet snakes,” he pointed out, adding that most reptile fans don’t also house crocs.

Dive deeper into the research here.

Of course, crocs, in general, are a mainstay in headlines. Just last month, for example, a man revealed he survived a croc encounter by pulling its jaws open and removing his own head.