This water snake in Missouri’s Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center has lived in captivity with no contact with male snakes for 8 years in the least now. And, she has managed to give birth to baby snakes, for the second consecutive year. Researchers at the Missouri Center believe that the snake may also be the first in her species to experience ‘virgin births’ which is more common in insects according Jordi Brostoski, a naturalist. Brostoski also added that this does not happen very often in snakes.
In more scientific expression, the virgin birth of the snake is a process that involves asexual reproduction known as parthenogenesis wherein a female produces babies with genetic contribution from male members. A polar body can function nearly like a sperm to fertilize the egg.
This summer, at the Missouri Center, an intern noticed a bunch of membranes in the cage for the water snake. Initially, he thought that some prankster must have put some tomatoes inside the cage for the snake. The two Baby water snakes delivered last year continue to be in fine health, says Brostoski adding that this year, however, none of the offsprings could survive.
This type of reproduction is very common in certain birds, insects and reptiles. In other species of snakes like copperheads, Burmese Pythons, and cottonmouths rare occurrences have been well documented according to Jeff Briggler, an MDC herpetologist.
For several years, it was assumed that sperm storage caused such births in captivity though genetics was now proving something different. Furthermore, the Missouri snake has been distanced from male snakes for too long to allow any sperm storage.
Brostoski also added that the watersnake may be taking to these virgin births since no male companion has been available for quite some time now. In wild snakes and other species, parthenogenesis has been well documented. The Missouri watersnake is also at an age where she can reproduce without any hindrance, and it could be a technique for reproductive survival. In the instant case, the snake has gone ahead and delivered its offspring in the absence of a male. Possibly, she has been driven to do that, and the trend may continue.
Times Gazette
