Do you know these animals can reproduce by themselves?

1. Sharks

Some female sharks can undergo parthenogenesis, a form of asexual reproduction where embryos develop from unfertilised eggs. This phenomenon has been observed in sharks kept in captivity for long periods without male interaction. The first recorded case of parthenogenesis in a cartilaginous fish occurred in 2001 with a captive hammerhead shark.

2. Starfish

Starfish can reproduce sexually and asexually. In some species, asexual reproduction occurs through fission, where the starfish splits in two, and each half regenerates into complete organisms. In certain cases, they will voluntarily break off one of their arms and then regenerate the missing piece while the broken part grows into a whole other starfish.

Starfish can reproduce both asexually and sexually, depending on the circumstances. (Source: Freepik)

3. Python

The first recorded “virgin birth” by a Burmese python, the world’s longest snake, was in 2012 at the Louisville Zoological Gardens in Kentucky. In 2014, a 20-foot, 11-year-old python named Thelma, that lived full-time with another female snake, produced around 61 eggs despite no exposure to a male in two years.

4. Marbled Crayfish

In 1995, a German aquarium owner discovered a new species of crayfish that was capable of cloning itself. The offspring were all female, confirming that marbled crayfish reproduce through parthenogenesis, without requiring a mate.

5. Hydra

Hydras, small freshwater organisms found in temperate and tropical regions, are known for their asexual “budding”. Tiny buds form on their cylindrical bodies, gradually elongate, develop tentacles, and eventually detach as fully-formed individuals. Depending on environmental conditions, hydras can produce buds every few days.