Latest news with #GregBarrick
USA Today
31-01-2025
- Science
- USA Today
A shark pup was born in an all-female aquarium tank. How exactly could that happen?
A Louisiana aquarium welcomed a new baby shark to its facilities earlier this month, but staff are unsure of exactly where it came from. On Jan. 3, a swell shark egg hatched at Shreveport Aquarium in Shreveport, Louisiana. The egg was discovered by aquarium staff in a female shark tank about eight months ago, but it may have remained undetected for a month or two before, according to a news release. What makes the egg's discovery puzzling is that no male sharks reside in the female tank. Furthermore, aquarium staff determined that the two female sharks in the tank with the egg hadn't been in contact with a male in more than three years, according to a news release. So how does a shark egg appear, seemingly out of the blue? Here's what aquarium staff think. How was the shark egg produced? There are two possibilities for how the swell shark may have come to be, aquarium staff said. First, the egg may have been a result of parthenogenesis, a rare form of asexual reproduction. While asexual reproduction is common among many plants and invertebrates, parthenogenesis, in which an egg develops, is more rare in vertebrates. And scientists are still unsure of exactly why it happens. One hypothesis is parthenogenesis occurs when females lack a male presence, according to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Aquarium staff predict that rather than asexual prediction, maybe the baby shark was a result of delayed fertilization, where fertilization occurs long after mating. To confirm the exact cause, aquarium staff will take a blood draw of the baby shark, when it's old enough, to analyze its DNA, according to a news release. 'This situation is incredible and shows the resilience of this species,' Greg Barrick, curator of live animals at Shreveport Aquarium, said in a news release. 'We are very excited in the coming months to confirm whether this was indeed a case of parthenogenesis or if it was delayed fertilization. It really proves that life ... uh ... finds a way.' Groundhog Day:PETA suggests 'weather reveal' cake to replace famous groundhog Punxsutawney Phil Baby swell shark is named Yoko Aquarium staff named the baby swell shark Yoko after the Chumash word for shark, "onyoko," according to a news release. As aquarium staff continue to study Yoko, the baby shark will remain monitored outside of a public exhibit. Young sharks born through rare reproductive events often face significant challenges. While asexual reproduction can be good for rapidly reproducing organisms, it's not ideal for organisms with long reproductive cycles like sharks, as it stunts genetic diversity, according to the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. What is a swell shark? Swell sharks are native to the eastern Pacific Ocean and are known for their agility to swell their bodies with water or air to deter predators. Remembering Charlotte stingray Due to its rarity, asexual reproduction discovered in animals often makes headlines, but sometimes, predictions are made too early. In late 2023, The Aquarium and Shark Lab by Team Ecco in Hendersonville, North Carolina made waves when it announced that a stingray named Charlotte was pregnant, despite it being the only female stingray in its enclosure. But after about six months of sharing the news, the now defunct organization said Charlotte wasn't actually pregnant. Rather, she had a "a rare reproductive disease that has negatively impacted her reproductive system." Initially, Team Ecco thought Charlotte may have experienced parthenogenesis or was a part of a "stingray-shark hybrid," because she resided with male sharks, but these theories were all debunked. It is biologically impossible for stingrays and sharks to cross-match and Charlotte's reported gestation period was too long for the species. Typically, stingrays are pregnant for four to five months, but Charlotte would have been about four months overdue, dependent on the timeline shared by Team Ecco. Sadly, Charlotte the stingray died in June 2024, not long after her reproductive disease was announced. Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretalcross. Story idea? Email her at gcross@
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
'Mystery' shark pup born at Louisiana aquarium where no males were present
Officials with the Shreveport Aquarium recently announced the unusual birth of a swell shark pup in a tank where only two female sharks were present. Named "Yoko" from the Chumash word "onyoko," meaning "shark," the pup was born on Jan. 3. It hatched out of an egg that was discovered by the aquarium's husbandry team about eight months ago. Aquarium officials noted that the two females that were in the tank with Yoko had not had contact with a male swell shark in more than 3 years. Given that the gestation period of swell sharks is 9-12 months, according to the Aquarium of the Pacific, the math doesn't add up for the newborn swell shark pup. Rather, it means that one of two phenomena occurred, officials said. One involves parthenogenesis, a rare form of reproduction without the need for a male, and the other is delayed fertilization, in which fertilization happens well after sharks have mated. "This situation is incredible and shows the resilience of this species," said Greg Barrick, the curator of Live Animals at Shreveport Aquarium. "We are very excited in the coming months to confirm whether this was indeed a case of parthenogenesis or if it was delayed fertilization. It really proves that life... uh... finds a way." The aquarium will determine what happened when Yoko is large enough for a blood draw, allowing the husbandry team to conduct a DNA analysis on the pup. They noted that sharks born through either parthenogenesis or delayed fertilization tend to "face significant challenges" and live shorter lives. Because of this, Yoko is being closely monitored and kept away from public eyes until it is old enough to move to a larger tank. How To Watch Fox Weather Unlike other sharks that give birth to live young, swell sharks usually release fertilized eggs into the water. Sometimes referred to as "mermaid's purses", the egg cases then attach to features such as rocks or algae, allowing the shark embryo inside to grow and later hatch from the article source: 'Mystery' shark pup born at Louisiana aquarium where no males were present
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Aquarium surprised by shark born in a tank without males
The Shreveport Aquarium in Louisiana kicked off 2025 with a mysterious birth. A swell shark (Cephaloscyllium ventriosum) pup hatched at the facility on January 3, yet the two female sharks present in the tank have not been in contact with a male in over three years. The team at the aquarium suspects the birth could be delayed fertilization or a rare reproductive phenomenon called parthenogenesis. Parthenogenesis is a reproductive strategy where primarily female sex cells called gametes can develop without fertilization. It is commonly seen in plants and some invertebrate animals (including aphids, ants, wasps, and bees). However, some higher vertebrates–like sharks, snakes, and some birds–may reproduce this way from time to time. In sharks, it is usually reserved as a last resort if there aren't any mates to go around. According to the aquarium, the shark egg was first spotted eight months ago. The shark hatched a few weeks ago and the team at the aquarium is working to determine how it was conceived. Once the shark is big enough for a blood draw, DNA analysis should provide answers in the next few months. If not parthenogenesis, it could have been born via delayed fertilization. In sharks, this is when a female will store some sperm cells from previous encounters to use on future eggs. 'This situation is incredible and shows the resilience of this species,' Greg Barrick, the Curator of Live Animals at Shreveport Aquarium, said in a statement. 'We are very excited in the coming months to confirm whether this was indeed a case of parthenogenesis or if it was delayed fertilization.' In the wild, swell sharks are found in coastal waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean. They have spots along their scales and can grow up to three feet long. Swell sharks are best known for their ability to swell their bodies with water or air as a way to deter predators. The new swell shark is nicknamed Yoko after the Chumash word for shark (onyok). Yoko is currently doing well, but young sharks born during rare reproductive events do face some significant challenges. Offspring born from parthenogenesis often die young, yet scientists are still not sure why. They suspect the expression of a lethal recessive gene could kill the pups prematurely. [ Related: A virgin birth in Shedd Aquarium's shark tank is baffling biologists. ] 'Should Yoko's time with us be brief, it will still leave an unforgettable legacy, contributing invaluable insights to the study of shark reproduction and conservation efforts,' the aquarium wrote. Yoko is currently being closely monitored away from public view for its health and well-being.
The Independent
27-01-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
‘Life finds a way:' Baby shark born in aquarium tank that only houses females
Life truly foudn a way inside of an Louisiana aquarium earlier this month when a baby shark was born inside a tank that only is home to only female species. Yoko, the new swell shark pup hatched on January 3 after it was first spotted by the aquarium's husbandry team nearly eight months ago. Shreveport Aquarium believes the egg could have even gone undetected for a further two months prior. Miraculously, Yoko arrived despite the fact only two female sharks had been present in the tank for that time and neither shark had been in contact with a male in over three years, said the Shreveport Aquarium release on Friday. Swell sharks are native to the coastal waters of the eastern Pacific and can grow to three feet in size. Curator of live animals Greg Barrick said: 'This situation is incredible and shows the resilience of this species. 'We are very excited in the coming months to confirm whether this was indeed a case of parthenogenesis or if it was delayed fertilization. He positively added, paraphrasing Jeff Goldblum's iconic line as Dr. Ian Malcolm in the original Jurassic Park: 'It really proves that life... uh... finds a way.' Marine handlers at the aquarium have opted for only one possible explanation for the phenomenon: parthenogenesis. According to the aquarium, this is a rare form of asexual reproduction or delayed fertilization, where fertilization occurs long after mating. But this is only a provisional theory, says the team. 'To confirm the exact cause, the husbandry team will take steps to karyotype the pup once it is a suitable size for a blood draw, likely after a few months. 'This DNA analysis will provide definitive confirmation of whether the hatchling is a product of parthenogenesis or delayed fertilization', they stated. Yoko's name derives from the native American Chumash word for shark which translates as 'onyoko'. The young pup was reported to be 'thriving under the care of our dedicated aquarists', said the release. However, this did not rule out concerns held by the center due to Yoko's bizarre birth. They stressed that sharks born under such circumstances could 'face significant challenges' and anticipated that Yoko could suffer a short life span. 'Should Yoko's time with us be brief, it will still leave an unforgettable legacy, contributing invaluable insights to the study of shark reproduction and conservation efforts', a statement read. The swell shark's health is currently being monitored away from the exhibit and visitors are prohibited from seeing Yoko in person. Nonetheless, the aquarium insisted that they would keep people updated on their social media. According to the Shark Trust, Swell Sharks descend from the catshark family and possess a unique threat response when they expand their bodies to double their size by swallowing water. This allows them to wedge and camouflage themselves between obscure hiding spaces.
Yahoo
26-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Aquarium welcomes baby shark after mystery pregnancy
A Louisiana aquarium welcomed a baby shark born under mysterious conditions, the aquarium said Friday. The swell shark, nicknamed Yoko, hatched on Jan. 3, according to the Shreveport Aquarium. What makes the birth mysterious is that the tank is home to two female sharks who haven't been in contact with a male in over three years. "This situation is incredible and shows the resilience of this species," Greg Barrick, the curator of live animals at Shreveport Aquarium, said in a news release. The egg was first spotted eight months ago, but it may have gone undetected in the tank for a month or two, according to the aquarium. The aquarium will work to determine if the baby shark was born via parthenogenesis, also known as asexual reproduction, or via delayed fertilization. A DNA analysis once the pup is big enough for a blood draw will provide answers, but it will likely take months. "We are very excited in the coming months to confirm whether this was indeed a case of parthenogenesis or if it was delayed fertilization," Barrick said. "It really proves that life... uh... finds a way," he added, referencing 1993's "Jurassic Park," in which Jeff Goldblum says the same thing while discussing how a group of all female dinosaurs could reproduce. While Yoko the shark, currently being monitored off exhibit, is "thriving," the aquarium warned that sharks born through rare reproductive events can face significant challenges. "Should Yoko's time with us be brief, it will still leave an unforgettable legacy, contributing invaluable insights to the study of shark reproduction and conservation efforts," the aquarium said in a news release. Swell sharks are native to the coastal waters of the eastern Pacific, according to the aquarium. They're known for their ability to swell their bodies with water or air as a way of deterring predators. While most species of sharks give birth to live young, some species — like the swell shark — are oviparous, which means they lay eggs. Parthenogenesis can occur in sharks, lizards and snakes. It can also happen in some species of birds. Vice President JD Vance's first interview | Face the Nation A tour of the Bronx Trump eyes asylum agreement with El Salvador to deport migrants there
