beautifulchaostheory

[beautifulchaostheory]

Asexual Reproduction of Komodo Dragons

Many species when isolated from other members or when faced with extinction will spontaneously evolve some outlandish trait to help thwart this threat to their survival. The komodo dragon, being a solitary creature on the Endangered Species Red List, has developed one such spectacular ability: parthenogenesis. In this paper I will endeavor to explain what this is, how it works, and how this curious ability affects the species’ chances of recovery or extinction.

Parthenogenesis, also referred to as asexual reproduction, and virgin births, is the ability of a female to reproduce without the aid or presence of a mate. While found in several species of insects, this is a rare trait in members of the vertebrate kingdom (about 70 species). While several species are endangered and even gone extinct, the adaptation of virgin births rarely occurs. There are several speculations and theories surrounding how it has developed in komodo dragons specifically, none of which have been confirmed beyond reasonable doubt, but are fascinating to study nonetheless.

The komodo dragon is the largest reptile of the monitor lizard family, growing up to 3 meters (9.8 feet) and weighing around 70kg (150 lbs) on average in the wild. These venomous monitors are native to Indonesia, Australia, the tropical forests of Asia, Flores Island, and the Komodo Islands; but now are only found in eight small subpopulations, five of which are in the Komodo Islands (Komodo National Park). These endangered reptiles have a sizable selection of prey, as they can and will eat anything from rats to adult buffaloes. They're able to do this due to them being able to run in short sprints at about 20 mph and ambushing their prey, sometimes standing on their hind legs and using their tails for support, then going for the throat using their powerful jaws to rip. Despite these facts there are less than 2,000 mature dragons found in total as of 2019, resulting in their place not only on the IUCN Endangered Species List, but the Red List, alongside other species with a small and/or rapidly shrinking population or natural habitat. Other criteria for the Red List include population distribution and likelihood of extinction vs recovery.

Before we go into why komodo dragons may have developed this trait, we must first understand how it works. As most everyone remembers from their eighth grade health class, sexual reproduction occurs when a sperm is introduced to an egg and fertilizes it, resulting in a fetus or an egg that will eventually hatch. However, asexual reproduction in animals doesn't involve sperm, but one egg fertilizing another. Generally, a female reproducing this way can only birth more females, but here's another way in which these massive reptiles differ from the norm; all offspring created by parthenogenesis are male.

This is because of yet another unique trait, the chromosomes of komodo dragons are reversed. In most species the males have two different chromosomes (XY) and females have an identical set (XX). However komodos are the opposite, the males have the same chromosomes and females have different ones. Because YY cannot create a viable egg, and the females don't have access to an additional X chromosome from a male, they're only able to produce offspring with an XX set (males).

Due to their dwindling numbers more females are relying on parthenogenesis to reproduce, but this causes another issue for preserving the species. Since all offspring from this process are male, there is a shortage of females to birth more dragons, which has led to inbreeding among the few left. This causes several issues in offspring as it does in most species. It's possible this trait developed in order to provide more males for females to procreate with (as they can switch between asexual and sexual reproduction), but this would rely on there being a decent number of unrelated females to avoid the males from the asexual reproduction breeding with a related female. As it stands currently, the species is facing threats from shrinking numbers, rampant inbreeding, habitat loss, and damage to their existing habitat by tourists.

Citations

Komodo Dragon — Global Conservation

Komodo dragon - Wikipedia

Varanus komodoensis (Komodo Dragon)

[beautifulchaostheory]

[beautifulchaostheory]

[beautifulchaostheory]

[beautifulchaostheory]

It's better to be hated for who you are than loved for who you're not. Unknown 

[beautifulchaostheory]

Don't fixate on your anger, let it wash over you without drowning you. Unknown.

[beautifulchaostheory]

Welcome to Night Vale

[beautifulchaostheory]

Humanity's Curse

Cursed are the minds of the wise, for they will know what will happen and be powerless to do anything but watch, as everything they feared comes to pass. So they will claim ignorance to spare themselves their minds.

Cursed are the hearts of the caring, for they will weep in mourning of souls they'll never know, and they will drive themselves mad trying to save those who are already lost. So they will harden their hearts to the world and convince themselves they don't care about the suffering of others, until it rings true.

Cursed are the self aware, for they shall see this happen again and again in everyone they love, and soon in themselves. And they will know they cannot stop it, so they won't even try.

To be human is to live a flawed life full of pain, it is one of mankind's gifts to be able to think, and care, and see. And it is humanities' curse to suffer and die at the hands of our gifts.

[beautifulchaostheory]

Welcome to Night Vale

[beautifulchaostheory]

Fear is natural, as is overcoming it.~ Unknown