Denver Zoo welcomes Komodo dragon hatchlings made from chromosome of single parent
Komodo dragons hatch from chromosome of single parent
The Denver Zoo welcomed two new Komodo dragon hatchlings.
DENVER, Colo. - Staff at Denver Zoo have welcomed two new Komodo dragon hatchlings, footage released on April 24 shows.
According to the zoo, the hatchlings, Malcolm and Owen, were as a result of parthenogenesis.
This involves taking a chromosome from just one parent and developing the second chromosome through meiosis.
“That means Malcom and Owen are male, since in Komodos, two identical sex chromosomes make a male, and two different ones make a female,” the zoo said on Facebook.
The zoo has been providing daily updates to patrons on the lives of its animals, as part of a “closed but still caring” campaign prompted by the coronavirus pandemic.