Date: April 2, 2019
Source: University of Sydney
In a world
first, researchers at the University of Sydney have observed a normally
live-bearing Australian lizard lay three eggs and then weeks later, give birth
to a live baby from the same pregnancy. This is the first time such an event
has been documented in a single litter of vertebrate babies.
The
three-toed skink (Saiphos equalis) is
one of only a handful of rare "bimodally reproductive" species, in
which some individuals lay eggs and others give birth to live babies. But up
until now, no vertebrate has ever been observed to do both in one litter.
"It is
a very unusual discovery," said Dr Camilla Whittington, from the School of
Life and Environmental Sciences and Sydney School of Veterinary Science at the
University of Sydney.
The
three-toed skink is native to the east coast of Australia. In the northern
highlands of New South Wales the animals normally give birth to live young, but
those living in and around Sydney lay eggs.
"We
were studying the genetics of these skinks when we noticed one of the
live-bearing females lay three eggs," Dr Whittington said. "Several
weeks later she gave birth to another baby. Seeing that baby was a very
exciting moment!"
The
observation will be published in Biology Letters this week, along
with advanced microscopy of the egg-coverings.
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