MUIRHEAD`S MYSTERIES:A SNAKE HAS BABIES WITHOUT MATING

The following story appeared in the Metro free paper and elsewhere on Thursday, November 4th 2010:

Virgin snake has babies: A female snake has twice given birth to offspring without mating, experts say. The boa constrictor produced 22 babies that have no father. Even more unusual is that the genetic make-up of the babies is unlike any previously recorded among vertebrates, the group which includes almost all animals with a backbone. The captive-born female boa constrictor gave birth at the same time as being housed with four male snakes but DNA tests showed none was the father. That confirmed the first instance of a known virgin birth among boa snakes. ` The results may require scientists to take another look at reptile production,` said Warren Booth, a geneticist at North State University. Asexual reproduction in snakes reproduction in snakes could be more common than thought, he added.` (1)

This story also appeared in HerpDigest vol. 10 issue 47 which said this situation has occurred amongst captive Komodo dragons and insects.

1. Metro. November 4th 2010.

Thanks friends for all birthday greetings. In a strange coincidence, The Guardian`s archive column for Nov. 5th 2010 consisted of a report of Nov. 5th 1966 (the day I was born) on the Surrey Puma.


THE ALARM DEVOLOUTION WORKING MAN`S BLUES

I`m a man
Torn in two
State and Nation
I`ve got to chose
For on these streets
That I spit upon
There`s no money in my pocket
No soles on my shoes
Ain`t got no religion
But the working man blues…