pathenogenesis?

[Wallypod]

heared about pathenogenesis where a snake can produce offspring with out a male.
i was wondering would there be any side effects from this such as those from inbreeding?

cheers
Damian

 

[Rocket]

Parthenogenesis is the genetic reproductive strategy that in basic terms, relates to the animal cloning itself. The biological method only requires the gamete (fertilised sex cell) of the female using her own genetic code in order to produce young, therefore, males are not present in parthogenetic populations of species.

As far as I am aware, parthenogenesis is not evident in Australian snakes, especially captive species. It is evident in Australian gekkonids, particularly a complex of Heteronotia binoei (as currently recognised) and Lepidodactylus lugubris.

 

[junglepython2]

Not all parthenogens are clones and some species capable of parthenogenesis can have males in there populations. The only snake in australia that I can think of that reproduces via parthenogenesis is the flowerpot snake however it is introduced.

 

[Rocket]

Actually, yes, thanks for the correction JP2. I remember now, females of some species have the ability to parthenogenetically reproduce however, their offpsring are all female. Males present in the population, should mating occur with these parthenogenetic females occur, produce only males.

Sdaji should know this, have male Heteronotia been introduced to known parthenogenetic females in order to see if this occurs with that species? However, I understand the parthenogens are a complex and being separated or have been...?

 

[junglepython2]

Actually, yes, thanks for the correction JP2. I remember now, females of some species have the ability to parthenogenetically reproduce however, their offpsring are all female. Males present in the population, should mating occur with these parthenogenetic females occur, produce only males.

Sdaji should know this, have male Heteronotia been introduced to known parthenogenetic females in order to see if this occurs with that species? However, I understand the parthenogens are a complex and being separated or have been...?

It's usually the other way around with reptile species that have both sexes which can produce via parthenogenesis, with the female producing all males. When those males breed sexually with a female they should be able to produce both sexes.

Parthenogenetic Heterontia produce via cloning so the above doesn't apply and all the clones are females and can only produce females. The parthenogenetic ones are triploid and aren't compatible with the diploid sexuals which are a seperate species.

 

[Wallypod]

cheers guys for all your imput but what i want to know is can this lead to complications like if you continued to inbreed?
or is it just self replicating so its the exact same snake? if that makes sense?

cheers Damian

 

[junglepython2]

cheers guys for all your imput but what i want to know is can this lead to complications like if you continued to inbreed?
or is it just self replicating so its the exact same snake? if that makes sense?

cheers Damian

It depends which form of parthenogeneis they are using. If it is cloning like in the Heterontia complex it is self replicating and it has served them very well for the last 100,000 years so it will not cause any problems and as it is there only form of replication you don't have a choice.

If it is not through cloning then yes it will greatly reduce genetic diversity and would need new blood bought in at some point. Seeming as there are no captive aussie snakes exhibiting this behaviour it is nothing to worry about.

 

[Jonno from ERD]

I believe there has been a case of parthenogenesis in Arafura File Snakes.