Stingray's Virgin Birth Sparks Global Interest

Charlotte, a stingray in a North Carolina aquarium, is pregnant through parthenogenesis, challenging initial theories of shark impregnation.

A stingray named Charlotte at a North Carolina aquarium is pregnant despite not having been around a male ray for over eight years, sparking widespread speculation and interest.
Experts and the aquarium's staff believe Charlotte's pregnancy is a result of parthenogenesis, a rare form of asexual reproduction, dismissing the initial theory of shark impregnation.
Parthenogenesis, translating to 'virgin birth,' is a phenomenon where offspring develop from unfertilized eggs, creating pups that are genetically similar to the mother.
Charlotte, a round stingray native to Southern California, is expected to give birth to three to four pups within two weeks.
DNA tests are planned post-birth to further investigate the pregnancy, with the aquarium's staff and global experts closely monitoring the situation.