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parthenogenesis
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by Scootertrash on January 14, 2005
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Ok, I just read something about this in Popular Science Mag. It seems that some snakes can reproduce without the introduction of sperm, some not all. Well, this story is about a Burmese python in Amsterdam has done this. The funny thing is that Burmese pythons are not supposed to be able to do this. Stranger still is the fact that all of the "clones" are female, a first for parthenogenic snakes, whose chromosomal setup typically produces males only. The zoo that keeps this python plans to test the offspring to see if they inherited their mothers "self cloning" powers. The article states that the snake has been kept well away from any males so there is no chance of her having mated. My question is, has anyone ever heard of parthenogenic snakes and why would this be happening in a species that is not supposed to have these properties? This is very fascinating to me because I have never even heard of this happening in any species of snake.
Regards
Clayton
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RE: parthenogenesis
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by Snakeman1982 on January 14, 2005
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Parthenogenesis is very common in lizards but not in snakes. The Brahminy`s blind snake (Ramphotyphlops brahminus) is parthenogenic but other than that there really aren´t any snakes that I know of that commonly reproduce asexually.
There were reports of a captive timber female that was supposedly reproduced offspring after being in captivity away from males for many years.
Pretty much all parthenogenic animals are female. I believe you may be mistaken about the male thing. You have to have ovaries, etc... to bear children. Males to my knowledge can´t form them.
Robert
p.s. Been a while since I have been posting. I am still in Bolivia but I am done with my field research and return to the states tomorrow morning. I am in La Paz where I finally have internet, lol.
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RE: parthenogenesis
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by Scootertrash on January 14, 2005
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Hi Robert, I meant to imply that the offspring of the parthenogenic female python were all female and normally parthenogenic animals produce all male offspring. Sorry for the mixup.
Clayton
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RE: parthenogenesis
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by ALA_herp31 on January 15, 2005
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I heard about a keeper in TN, that had a female (Crotalus h. horridus) Timber /Canebrake Rattlesnake. The Snake gave birth and had never been in contact with a male snake since she was born. I don’t know if this storey is true or not, but if it is, this is a truly un-believable find. Do ya’ll know if anyone has done research on these stories?..........Be safe, happy herping, Wally
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RE: parthenogenesis
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by SwampY on January 15, 2005
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One zoo reported a C. horridus dropping a single live baby.
A Cottonmouth kept for a while in a reptile shop in Georgia dropped 2 live babies after having no contact with a male for at least 4 years and and unknown period before that. Both babies were growth-stunted and somewhat abnormal in looks. This *could* have been sperm retention, but being very familiar with the circumstances I really think it *was* parthenogenesis.
Garters have produced babies parthenogenically according to at least one person I've talked to.
So far every instance I've heard of has been a live-bearing species.
I do have a friend with a colony of parthenogenic geckos, I forget the species, but they are really cool.
Hope this helps,
Chad Minter
Author
Venomous Snakes Of The Southeast
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1411617797/envenomatedco-20
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RE: parthenogenesis
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by Dadee on January 17, 2005
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Clayton and Co.,
I would have a hard time swallowing the idea of any snake dropping young without ANY contact with a male for their entire lives. I have heard of females "storing" sperm for a rainy day, but not parthenogenesis entirely. I imagine that those who have "stored" sperm for another day, would have some chromosomal similarities. For a female to have to resort to storage, something would be wrong to the snake in that there are no males around, so I would rather guess that they would turn out to be males which would contradict the all female clutch, unless temperature played a part. Maybe I'm just missing the entire idea of parthenogenesis, but for any animal to spontaneously generate it's own sperm, a set of testes would be present, even if deep inside? Perhaps I'm more of a "show me" kind of guy, but wouldn't any of these ideas have to have solid proof?
Of the cases that are reported, has anyone done an X-ray on the subject? This would disprove the theory of a hermaphrodite. I only ask this cause as I've said so many times before, I'm always the devil's advocate.
Eager to know more about it,
Matt
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RE: parthenogenesis
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by pygmybait on January 19, 2005
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There is a venom production lab in Deland,Florida called Medtoxin that has a female Cottonmouth that has dropped several babies over a span of a few years - One of which is Leucistic(!!!!)
Carl Barden runs this particular lab.
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