I'm soft.

https://www.sciencealert.com/a-baby-shark-has-just-been-born-but-the-mother-lived-in-an-all-female-tank

“Its mother had spent ten years living in a tank with one other female, the outlet said, and scientists suspect the newborn could be the first documented case of shark parthenogenesis in that species.

Parthenogenesis is a rare phenomenon where an egg develops into an embryo without being fertilized by a sperm.

The process has been observed in more than 80 vertebrate species, according to Live Science, including sharks, fish, and reptiles.

“About 15 species of sharks and rays are known to do this,” Demian Chapman, director of the sharks and rays conservation program at Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium in Florida, told Live Science.

He added that while sharks probably had the ability to do it, it was difficult to document in the wild.

Chapman told Live Science that in the wild, parthenogenesis might be the last resort for females that cannot find a mate in situations of low population density.

The response can also be triggered in captive sharks who are separated from males for long periods of time, he said.

There are two different types of parthenogenesis, according to National Geographic.

One is apomixis, a type of cloning most common in plants.

[ID: 2 replies. Reply from hamburger-time reads: don’t look, stay inside. I’ve seen horror movies. Reply from octagoncalibrator reads: possum intensifies. End ID]

some ineffable pirates, for @caspianthegeek 💫