Facultative parthenogenesis discovered for the first time in Jamaican boa (Chilabothrus subflavus) using novel microsatellite markers
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: The mode of reproduction most often seen in snakes is sexual, but studies have noted facultative parthenogenesis in at least six families. Here, we provide evidence for the first observed case of facultative parthenogenesis in a captive Jamaican boa (Chilabothrus subflavus). A 7-year-old female Jamaican boa, isolated since birth, was found to have produced a litter of 15 offspring. To provide molecular DNA evidence of parthenogenesis, 13 new microsatellite loci were isolated in the species. All offspring were found to be homozygous at each locus and only possess alleles found in the dam, implicating that they were born from asexual reproduction. Several developmental abnormalities, including stillbirths and spinal deformities, were noted in the litter which may be explained by their increased level of homozygosity. To preserve genetic diversity in the captive population, research should be conducted to understand the prevalence of this mode of reproduction and to guide future management decisions of this IUCN listed Vulnerable species.
Source: Zoo Biology
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21852
Authors: Carolyn A. Bailey, Alison L. Righton, Andy Reeves, Dylan Ray, Jessi Krebs, Edward E. Louis
Language: English
Subfield: Global and Planetary Change
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
Funder: Ahmanson Foundation
OpenAlex ID: W4401735848