Hermaphrodite Snake

[slide]

There didn't seem to be much happenning on APS today so here is an odd question...

Does any one know of a snake being a hermaphrodite? Would they probe deep on one side and shallow on the other? Would they be capable of reproduction or even self fertilisation???

Hermaphrodite snakes would possibly make one of those "name my python" threads worth reading for once, Im sure some people would have some funny input.

But seriously interested as to whether anyone knows anything about them if they are out there.

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[waruikazi]

I remember about 5 years ago there was a thread from a fella who was trying to breed his ackies. The result was the female looking one was killed, he opened it up and found it had both male and female internal sexual organs.

[slide]

Hermaphrodite ackie

Is that the one Gordo?

[waruikazi]

Yep

[jahan]

I read an article that said, "boa constrictors are capable of
giving birth asexualy.

[slide]

I read an article that said, "boa constrictors are capable of
giving birth asexualy.

That would be of interest to breeders with a new morph to get numbers up for outcrossing (privided it was a female) as the young would essentially be clones of mum.

[-Peter]

I dont think hermaphroditism automatically means parthenogenesis.

[Nighthawk]

That would be of interest to breeders with a new morph to get numbers up for outcrossing (privided it was a female) as the young would essentially be clones of mum.

Not only were the young clones of the mum, but apparently they also had matching WW chromosomes instead of the usual ZW.

Boa constrictors can have babies without mating, new evidence shows

[Bluetongue1]

Hermaphrodite animals contain both male and female gonads. In some animals this is the normal condition, such as snails and earthworms. They are not able to self fertilise under natural conditions.

In sexually distinct animals, such as reptiles and birds, hermaphrodites are unnatural and rarely occur. The condition result in two complete sets of gonads or a male half and a female half to the body. Either way, the gametes (eggs, sperm) if produced, are not viable due to the effects of the hormones from the gonad of the opposite sex. Apart from that, they are not physically capable of mating with themselves.

Some females of certain species are capable of producing young without a male. The female eggs cells would normally carry one set of chromosomes and the male sperm cells carry a matching set. However, in these individuals, eggs are produced with a double set of chromosomes, allowing viable offspring to develop. Depending on the nature of the chromosomes passed on, the female offspring may or may not be able to reproduce normally with a male. The process of females producing offspring without males is called parthenogenesis and has nothing to do with hermaphrodites, as Peter suggested.

In some invertebrate species, parthenogenesis is a natural part of their life cycle along with sexual reproduction, such as in aphids. In vertebrate species it is much less common. In fact, rare would be a better descriptor. Apart from the Boa constrictors mentioned we have our own Bynoe’s Geckoes, with about 5 known parthenogenetic populations. There have also been two confirmed instances of parthenogenesis in Komodo Dragons. As Nighthawk mentioned, the genetics behind it is quite intriguing. I wish I understood more.

Blue

[james.5]

And in some sharks

[turtle]

I remember about 5 years ago there was a thread from a fella who was trying to breed his ackies. The result was the female looking one was killed, he opened it up and found it had both male and female internal sexual organs.

Ackies have been known to be able to change their sexes usually in the first six months. I think because in the wild they are found in small colonies and naturally adjust their sex ratios to what is required. A friend of mine Mat Vincent documented this and i think by memory gave this a mention in his book 'Australian Goannas'