Female crocodile breeding without a male shows why Jurassic Park was a bad idea

For 16 years, people who have visited Reptiland Parkin Costa Rica they were able to see female crocodile that, like the rest of the animals in these institutions, they were rescued from a neighboring house. Her caretakers fed her and checked her health, but what they never expected was that one day they would come and find that she fertilized eggs. After all, for all this time she did not contact with a single man. This is a true story that has just been revealed and provides a reason (one more) to recreate Jurassic Park in real life this would be a very bad idea.

In total, the female laid 14 eggs, although only seven were fertilized. That is, half was like most chicken eggs, inside of which there is no embryo, and the other half had one. This on the boat soon came as a surprise, but park scientists soon realized it was the case. parthenogenesis.

This is common in other reptiles such as snakes and Komodo dragons. Also This has been seen in birds and in fish such as sharks.. But so far, there has never been a case of a female crocodile disease. This is an interesting find, since birds and crocodiles are the only modern representatives archosaurs, a group to which dinosaurs also belonged. Hence, they are also expected to be able to perform parthenogenesis, which would be a nightmare in Jurassic Park.

What is parthenogenesis?

Reptiles, birds and sharks usually breed sexual reproduction. In other words, a male and a female participate in the process, giving half the chromosomes of the offspring.

We can see this in people who also reproduce sexually. We have in most of our cells 46 chromosomes. This is our number, but this number varies from one species to another. However, only germ cells, eggs and sperm cells have half. That is 23 chromosomes in our case. So when both fuse to give rise to a zygote, the chromosomes of one and the other are added and we have an unborn child with 46 chromosomes.

This is sexual reproduction, in the broadest sense. In the asexual case, a single individual intervenes, putting on a sex cell, the chromosome content of which is doubled. If humans could reproduce by parthenogenesis, the 23 chromosomes in a female egg would become 46 in a baby. they don’t know each other mammals that they can do it, so it’s unthinkable for our species at first.

In the case of crocodiles, this was to be expected, since other reptiles they can, but no cases have yet been known.

A female crocodile who doesn’t need anyone else

Unfortunately, the story of this female crocodile doesn’t have a happy endingfor none of the eggs went further. puppies were not bornso scientists took the opportunity to study the genetic material inside the eggs, making sure that it really was parthenogenetic.

It is known that in some species the offspring obtained as a result of parthenogenesis usually do not develop. Sometimes they are born, but soon die. This happens because there is no mixing of two individuals, but only one, so the result is the same as with inbreeding what happens, for example, in some royal families. Ultimately, the more genetic diversitybetter for offspring

It should be noted that parthenogenesis is an extreme measure. That is, females in contact with males usually do not resort to parthenogenesis, since they do not need it and evolutionarily it is much better for them to reproduce sexually. That is why it happens very rarely. In fact, it was believed that this only occurs with animals in captivity. However, after the discovery of several cases in nature, it was concluded that in reality the animals in captivity are under closer observation, and therefore it is believed that there are more cases of parthenogenesis. In addition, females more often do not have access to a male. But in strength This may well happen in nature.

What does it all have to do with Jurassic Park?

IN Jurassic Parkat the beginning of the first movie, it was explained that all the dinosaurs in the park were women. Thus, allegedly, they have achieved that they will not be able to reproduce and it will be easier for them. control the population.

But things get out of hand, and the females manage to breed on their own. Life goes on. In fact, in the second saga jurassic worldthere is a detail indicating that Blue, one of the female Velociraptors, reproduced by parthenogenesis. And it’s the same as in Jurassic Park dinosaur DNA sequences have been completed Ran DNAto, to jurassic world use monitor lizard genetic material. This is one of the animals that can reproduce by parthenogenesis.

But in fact, we now know that even that was not necessary. If crocodiles and birds can do this, then dinosaurs may not need a male to reproduce either. So if Jurassic Park were set up in real life, population control would also prove to be a problem. refusal. It is better to remain as we are, we have enough of what we have.