stingrays have babies

[lauremf2002]

This is so cool. Two female stingrays who have not been in contact with males for 2 years have 7 pups. Apparently they can store sperm until they feel the time is right to give birth! That sounds useful....
http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/whos-your-daddy

 

[Doomed]

Wow that pretty amazing! Thanks for sharing!

 

[papagimp]

I think guppies/mollies can do this as well, if I remember correctly.

So if I read that correctly, the stingrays waited 2 years after their last contact with males before they felt the 'time was right'. What's that say about male stingrays?

 

[lauremf2002]

That they only need them for the sperm? Lol, I think its most interesting that they decided to give birth at the same time. Group rearing?

 

[papagimp]

That's a very interesting thought indeed! either group rearing or simple survivalism, lots of babies so some are bound to survive kinda thing. Course maybe the one stingray just said to the other "you know what... let's just both do this and get it over with", emotional support and all.

 

[KDC]

I would have appreciated the emotion support when having my "pups"! LOL
This is really cool, makes me wonder what other animals can do that? Have any other fish perhaps done this, and we don't know it happened because there was a male around?