Virgin But Birth? Scientists probe secret science of A Snake

The study published in The Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, show something unusual. This study presents the virgin birth of the first documented by a copper head snake (cooperhead). Female snake is known to have never married, but they can lay eggs and reproduce. Chances are, the survey said, sperm can be stored snake in a long time.

In the world of fauna, individuals who give birth but still a virgin, known as parthenogenesis. "Now it has been observed to occur naturally in all jawed vertebrate lineage, with the exception of mammals," said Warren Booth, one of the authors quoted by MSNBC. "We have recently seen in the genetic confirmation of species such as Boa Constrictor, rainbow boa, various species of shark, the Komodo dragon , and a local turkey. "

Booth, an integrative molecular ecologist at North Carolina State University, analyzed the DNA of the snake cooperhead females without a partner for many years in North Carolina Aquarium, Fort Fisher.

Dramatically, this snake was suddenly generate a very healthy 19 offspring of 10 females and 9 males. DNA analysis confirmed that 19 baby snakes are produced from the sperm a male snake.

Analysis Booth, who co-authored the research with Gordon Schuett of Georgia State University, the female snake is likely to receive when immature sperm in the wild. "It was placed in isolation from men until the time of birth. Therefore, snakes are bred in the wild as a juvenile sexually immature."

Fish, birds, amphibians, insects and other reptiles can also store sperm for a long time. However, Booth said, this does not happen in humans. Human sperm can only survive a few hours. Women are also not able to give birth in a virgin state, aka no previous sexual intercourse with the opposite sex because of certain genes must come from the opposite sex, apart from himself.