A shark may have gotten a stingray pregnant at a NC aquarium

[The Deadman]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/...m/72551486007/

One North Carolina aquarium is looking to solve the mystery of a female stingray's solo pregnancy that has sparked confusion.

The Aquarium and Shark Lab by Team Ecco is located in Hendersonville, 103 miles west of Charlotte. Staff there say the female stingray is expecting pups but there's one problem. The aquarium has no male stingrays.

So how could the female stingray become pregnant without a male mate?

There are two possible explanations for the rare pregnancy.

Research has shown that animals, especially stingrays, have the ability to asexually reproduce when there is a lack of reproduction for that species.

"First, you should know that parthenogenesis is asexual reproduction of an organism in which a female produces an embryo without a male present to fertilize the egg," wrote Dr. April Smith, executive director the North Carolina Science Trail in a blog post. "This means the offspring are, typically, all female, and this occurs in a situation where there are no males present (i.e., zoo/aquarium usually, or perhaps a secluded natural environment like the deep sea). It’s a survival mechanism that allows for the preservation of a species."

The Hendersonville aquarium tells FOX Carolina they were afraid their female stingray named “Charlotte” had cancer when she began to swell.

In order to confirm or deny their suspicions, an ultrasound was conducted. The results revealed the multiple growths within her body were later proven to be eggs.

The aquarium found bite marks on Charlotte, a common sign that are left on mating sharks.

In July 2023, two young white-spot bamboo sharks were moved into Charlotte's tank.

“We have definitive video of the most current ultrasound showing two if not three pups,” Team Ecco told FOX Carolina. “DNA will need to be done after the pups’ birth – unless we have visual cues about a mixed breed.”

Charlotte is expecting to give birth soon, the aquarium confirms.

[IndigoErth]

And that class, is how shark rays, aka Rhina ancylostoma, are made. lol

Curious to see how that turns out, if they've got some hybrids to show off (what would that even look like?) or she just did her own thing on her own (and thank god us humans don't).

[oldmanwinters]

[XERO]

This is a South Park episode waiting to happen.

[triplexxx]

Parthenogenisis, interspecies mating, have heard of those things, but a shark ejaculating into a stingray? Is that physically fathomable? What's next, a lion bangs a girl tuna after eating her boyfriend, and creates a "luna"?

[The Deadman]

Originally Posted by triplexxx

Parthenogenisis, interspecies mating, have heard of those things, but a shark ejaculating into a stingray? Is that physically fathomable? What's next, a lion bangs a girl tuna after eating her boyfriend, and creates a "luna"?

Apparently it's not possible but somehow....

[Andrew NDB]

Originally Posted by triplexxx

but a shark ejaculating into a stingray?

I don't think it's "into." Isn't it like the way normal fish do it? Like a male swoops by the female and POOF, there's a big white cloud around her and the deed is done?

[Cowabung-Gal]

This never would’ve happened in the wild. It’s all thanks to human intervention. So yeah, man mucked up again.

[oldmanwinters]

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

I don't think it's "into." Isn't it like the way normal fish do it? Like a male swoops by the female and POOF, there's a big white cloud around her and the deed is done?

Thanks for getting me curious enough to search for “shark mating” on YouTube. My automated suggestions are gonna be weird for the next few weeks.

[oldmanwinters]

She’s a Spectacle!