Article
Parthenogenesis in a Large-Bodied Requiem Shark, the Blacktip Carcharhinus limbatus
Journal of Fish Biology
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
10-8-2008
Keywords
- Automixis,
- Carcharhinidae,
- Diversity,
- Evolution,
- Genetic management
Disciplines
Abstract
Genetic evidence is provided for parthenogenesis in a large-bodied shark, the blacktip Carcharhinus limbatus, from the speciose and commercially important family Carcharhinidae, the first verified case of asexual development in this lineage and only the second for any chondrichthyan. The parthenogenetic embryo exhibited elevated homozygosity relative to its mother, indicating that automictic parthenogenesis is the most likely mechanism. Although this finding shows that parthenogenesis is more common and widespread in sharks than previously realized and supports the early existence of parthenogenetic abilities in vertebrates, the adaptive significance of automixis in these ancient fishes remains unclear.
ResearcherID
G-4080-2013
DOI
10.1111/j.1095-8649.2008.02018.x
Citation Information
Demian D. Chapman, B. Firchau and Mahmood S. Shivji. "Parthenogenesis in a Large-Bodied Requiem Shark, the Blacktip Carcharhinus limbatus" Journal of Fish Biology Vol. 73 Iss. 6 (2008) p. 1473 - 1477 ISSN: 0022-1112 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/mahmood-shivji/145/
©2008 The Authors