Scientists are confused after a stingray named Charlotte at an aquarium in North Carolina became pregnant despite there being no male stingrays in the tank.
The cause of the pregnancy remains a mystery, with two possibilities being considered: parthenogenesis, where the eggs develop without fertilization or potential mating with male sharks added to the tank.
Further investigation and DNA testing will be conducted to unravel this strange phenomenon.
Scientists question the ability of stingrays to get pregnant even without a mate
In a baffling turn of events, an aquarium has been left puzzled as a stingray has inexplicably become pregnant despite there being no male stingrays in their tanks.
This intriguing phenomenon has left researchers at the Aquarium and Shark Lab by Team ECCO in Hendersonville, North Carolina scratching their heads.
The two most appropriate explanations for the stingray's strange pregnancy
There are two possible explanations for Charlotte's pregnancy, although researchers remain uncertain until the pups are born.
One possibility is a rare reproductive process called parthenogenesis, wherein the eggs develop without fertilization and result in a clone of the mother.
The other potential explanation is that Charlotte may have engaged in mating behavior with one of the young male sharks that were introduced to the tank in mid-July.
Brenda Ramer, the founder and executive director of the aquarium, explained that two juvenile male sharks were added to the tank without definitive knowledge of their maturation rate.
The aquarium staff noticed bite marks on Charlotte, which are indicative of mating behavior in sharks. Despite their efforts to address the situation by relocating other fish, the biting persisted.
Ramer revealed that Charlotte is carrying up to four pups and could give birth at any time.
To unravel the miraculous mystery, DNA testing is likely to be conducted on the offspring after their birth.
As researchers eagerly await the arrival of the pups and seek to uncover the truth behind Charlotte's pregnancy, updates on her progress will be shared on Team ECCO's website and Facebook page.
The typical gestation period for a stingray is three to four months, according to the aquarium.
