shark drill what is known as multiple paternity , where a single solidification of puppy will have multiple fathers . However , Panthera tigris sharks ( Galeocerdo Georges Leopold Chretien Frederic Dagobert Cuvier ) off the coast of Queensland do not share this trait , and this may be contributing to the hazard of this apex of the sun’s way predator .
Although cases have been recorded of human twins withdifferent father , it ’s scarcely common , but the place is dissimilar for shark and ray . Whether they lie down eggs , have dwell untested , or have eggs that evolve inside the female parent , shark often have tumid clutches of new , and genetic analysis unremarkably reveals members of the litter have different forefather , known as multiple paternity .
Dr Bonnie Holmesof the University of Queensland tell IFLScience that how this occurs probably varies between species . In some case , female may mate with multiple males in quick succession . However , shark are also able-bodied to store spermatozoan from the coupling events distantly separated in time until the time is right for fecundation .
Now , Holmes reports inRoyal Society Open Science , desoxyribonucleic acid mental test of 112 unborn pups from four significant Panthera tigris shark ( killed in beach protection syllabus ) find what she calls “ genetical monogamousness ” . Only one pup even mayhap had a different father from its siblings .
Genetic monogomy is obscure in any other shark species , although Holmes admit to IFLScience many have not been tested . Tiger sharks are unequaled among theCarcharhinidaefamily in having their egg cover inside them ( ovoviviparity ) , but Holmes tell apart IFLScience her team check paternity studies from ovoviviparous fellow member of other family line and found all used multiple authorship .
Instead of reflecting the method acting of maternity , Holmes thinks tiger sharks ' inherited monogamousness is probably the event of their ecology . As a largely lonely metal money that undertakes open sea migrations , they may but not run across each other often enough for multiple paternity , in particular if they ca n’t store spermatozoan for the whole three - year gap between their litters .
Holmes acknowledges the phenomenon may also be localize . Tiger shark numbers game have plummeted off Australia ’s east coast from a mixture of fishing pressure and cull computer program . The low density may have reduced mating oftenness , and Holmes said comparisons with the salubrious westerly Australian populations may leaven revealing .
Either path , genetic monogamy is n’t helping Queensland tiger shark numbers . Multiple authorship is a cracking means to ensure hereditary diverseness in a species ; authoritative for survival any time , but more so when a species is confronted with refreshing challenge , such as those humans are posing . Learn fromthe turtles , ma’am shark .
Holmes would like to see further studies , since without them we are fell blind in stress to prevent local experimental extinction . However , Holmes admit this is easy said than done , as Panthera tigris sharks are n’t an easy animal to find , lease alone study .
