Komodo Dragon to play Mary in Chester Zoo nativity reenactment

A komodo dragon at Chester Zoo has recently produced offspring without male contact, reports the BBC. The process, known as parthenogenesis, is documented in only a handful of vertebrates, and has never before been seen in these lizards.

The hatchlings are recombinants of their mother’s genetic material, but not identical clones. This discovery could develop our understanding of how islands are populated by these lizards.

2 comments December 21st, 2006