Zebra Shark Laying Eggs

A zebra shark (Stegostoma fasciatum) wiggles past a piece of hard coral in our Ocean Tank. The egg cases have long fibers attached to them that get tangled on hard surfaces. This helps to anchor the eggs to the floor so they do not float around the ocean while the pup gestates (usually four to six months in captivity depending on the temperature).

Our zebra sharks are both female, have never been in an enclosure with a male and, like most animals, will still produce eggs. That doesn't mean we'll never see zebra shark pups! Zebra sharks are one of the few animal species that has been observed reproducing using parthenogenesis. Parthenogenesis (literally "virgin birth") is when an animal can reproduce without a mate.

Video taken on iPhone 7 by Aquarist Matthew Minkalis.