Evidence of facultative parthenogenesis in three Neotropical pitviper species of the Bothrops atrox group.

ABSTRACT: We examined four suspected cases of facultative parthenogenesis in three species of a neotropical lineage of pitvipers of the Bothrops atrox group. Reproduction without mating was observed in captive females of B. atrox, B. moojeni and B. leucurus housed alone for seven years (the two former species) and nine years (the latter one). In addition to the observation of captivity data, we investigated molecularly this phenomenon using heterologous microsatellites. DNA was extracted from the mothers' scales or liver, from embryo and newborn fragments, and yolked ova. Four of the microsatellites showed good amplification using Polymerase Chain Reaction and informative band segregation patterns among each mother and respective offspring. Captivity information, litter characte

SUBMITTER: Cubides-Cubillos SD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7680053 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature