IN a tank with two female smooth-hound sharks, a “miracle” baby shark was born. For nearly a decade, the tank has been devoid of males. This could be the species’ first instance of asexual reproduction.

The shark is a female of the common smooth-hound family. It was born in the Acquario Cala Gonone in Sardinia, Italy. There, two female sharks had been living for a decade. Ispera is the name of the baby shark.

The shark is thought to be the outcome of parthenogenesis. It is a form of asexual reproduction method. In it, an egg develops into an embryo without being fertilized by sperm.

The young shark is in fact a clone of its mother, according to experts. To corroborate their hypothesis, the crew submitted DNA samples from the two adult sharks to a lab.

Because the embryo only acquires genetic material from one person, a parthenogenesis birth results in the cloning of the parent. The egg is fertilized by a still immature egg cell that behaves almost like a sperm. It is also a frequent method of this sort of reproduction. Invertebrates such as worms, insects, some arachnids, and crustaceans are popular to undergo parthenogenesis. It has only been seen in a few species, such as amphibians, lizards, and also fish. (SD-Agencies)