Sharks Give Birth Without Male

Sharks can give birth asexually. It's called parthogenesis and sharks aren't the only ones who can give birth without a male. Other species including frogs, lizards, plants, and birds have done it. Parthogenesis was only previously observed in female sharks who had never had contact with a male shark. Leonie, a shark at the Reef HQ Aquarium in Australia, previously mated with a male shark, lastly in 2013. However, he had been removed since they were reproducing too much. Leonie gave birth to three pups between February and April 2016 through parthogenesis. She's the first recorded female shark known to have switched to parthogenesis after mating with a male.