Pregnant stingray updates — Charlotte dies after reproductive disease diagnosis as aquarium shares heartbreaking news
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CHARLOTTE the stingray has died after months of speculation about her medical mystery.
The Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO announced the heartbreaking news this weekend.
“We are sad to announce, after continuing treatment with her medical care team and specialist, our ray Charlotte passed away today,” the team said Sunday night on Facebook.
“We are continuing to work with her medical care team and research specialist.”
The update comes after Team Ecco shared in May that Charlotte was diagnosed with a rare reproductive disease in a "truly a sad and unexpected medical development."
Charlotte, who lived in a tank at a North Carolina aquarium, was previously thought to be carrying three to four pups in a "once-in-a-lifetime science mystery" because she reportedly hadn't shared a tank with a male ray in at least eight years.
The aquarium remains temporarily closed after the sad loss.
Read our stingray pregnancy blog for the latest updates on Charlotte...
Charlotte has died
In a tragic update, Charlotte the stingray has died.
"We are sad to announce, after continuing treatment with her medical team and specialist, our ray Charlotte passed away today," The Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO said on Facebook Sunday night.
"We are continuing to work with her medical care team and research specialist.
"The Team ECCO appreciates your continued love and support while we navigate this great lost.
"The Aquarium will remain temporarily closed during which time our staff will continue to care daily for our other fish and animals."
Animals that can reproduce alone
Not all animals need a mate – some are capable of producing offspring all on their own.
Parthenogenesis is a Greek word that means “virgin creation” – it describes a process by which some animals reproduce asexually.
They can produce eggs that develop on their own without fertilisation and the babies become clones of their single parent.
And while it is still very rare in the animal kingdom, here is a list of species that have been known to:
- Sharks
- Stingrays
- Skates
- Komodo dragons
- Starfish
- Whiptail lizards
- Python snakes
- Marbled crayfish
- Amazon molly fish
- Wasps
- Ants
- Water fleas
Charlotte has been at the aquarium since 2016
Kinsley Boyette, assistant director of the Aquarium and Shark Lab by Team ECCO, told Hendersonville’s that Charlotte has been at the North Carolina aquarium since 2016.
“We estimate she’s between 12-14 years old,” Boyette told the outlet.
“We got her from a private home in the city of Charlotte, which is how she got her name.
“We got her because they did not want her anymore, so we gladly took her in. It was a great adoption, and ever since, she’s been amazing.”
Expert says hybrids are ‘impossible’
Expert Kady Lyons, whose graduate work focused on the stingray species, has now said it would have been “impossible” for Charlotte the stingray to conceive the first scientifically documented stingray-shark hybrid.
This is due to the anatomical and size differences between Charlotte and the bamboo sharks.
Lyons, a research scientist at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, said Charlotte’s pregnancy is the only documented example she’s aware of for round stingrays.
“I’m not surprised, because nature finds a way of having this happen,” she said.
Lyons added: “We should set the record straight that there aren’t some shark-ray shenanigans happening here.”
Where is Charlotte the stingray?
Charlotte the stingray, who is believed to be around 12 to 14 years old, is currently living in a tank at a North Carolina aquarium.
She can be found at the Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO in downtown Hendersonville.
Brenda Ramer, founder and executive director of Team ECCO, said the aquarium averages around 70-75 visitors a day when they are open.
But since news broke of Charlotte’s mysterious pregnancy in early February, interest and curiosity has spiked across the world.
The aquarium has since been flooded with curious onlookers hoping to witness the birth of the newborns.
What could a hybrid look like?
It's not yet entirely clear what a stingray-shark hybrid would look like, because it has never been scientifically documented.
The Ecco team have also refrained from making any assumptions until they have completed a DNA test to confirm the babies are true hybrids and not a result of Parthenogenesis.
Hybrids are possible between two genetically similar species, that have not long diverged.
And sharks and stingrays are closely related taxonomically.
They belong to a group of fishes called the elasmobranchs.
Neither species have bones, and instead have a cartilaginous skeletal structure.
Therefore, interbreeding between Charlotte the stingray and a bamboo shark is theoretically possible.
Fans now questioning pregnancy
Fans have started to question whether the stingray is actually pregnant.
Taking to Facebook, one said: "I’m beginning to feel like this is a publicity stunt."
A second wrote: "How does this aquarium not realize they look like fools and liars."
A third commented: "I have really defended this whole situation but a little more transparency would really go a long way if you are trying to avoid negative attention. Just my opinion.
"Instead of the text book line "Charlotte has had no change in behavior ect" there has to be a way to know more info on what's going on with her because at this point, it's been a considerable amount of time."
Latest update from aquarium
The last update to come from the team at the Aquarium and Shark Lab by Team ECCO was on May 17.
Taking to Facebook, the aquarium said: "Charlotte continues to appear healthy and has shown little to no change in any of her behaviors or temperment.
"There is no new information to share at this time. As more information comes available we will share it directly.
"We appreciate your support as we continue our care for Charlotte and strive to better understand this area of science."
Fans brand pregnancy a 'publicity stunt'
Following yesterday's update, eagle-eyed fans have begun to air their suspicions online.
Fans were dissatisfied with the update with one person commenting: "I have defended this whole situation but a little more transparency would go a long way if you are trying to avoid negative attention."
"Just my opinion instead of the textbook line Charlotte has had no change in behavior etc. there has to be a way to know more info on what's going on with her because, at this point, it's been a considerable amount of time," the individual continued.
While another said: "I’m beginning to feel like this is a publicity stunt."
Comparing a manta ray to a stingray
While stingrays can be found in both freshwater and marine habitats, manta rays are only found in oceans, per .
With a maximum wingspan of 23 feet (7 meters), manta rays are far larger than Himantura polylepis, the largest species of stingray, which can only reach a maximum of 7.9 meters (2.4 meters).
Manta rays eat mostly zooplankton with their large mouths.
Stingrays eat crustaceans, mollusks, worms, tiny fish, and squid using their powerful jaws.
Know more about round stingrays
The round stingray, or Urobatis halleri, is a small to medium-sized stingray that can reach a maximum length of 55 cm, according to .
Typically, they measure 20 to 25 cm in length.
Their color is grayish brown, and they have a pale yellow, orange, or white underside.
On top, they might be plain, speckled, or spotted.
More to know about round stingrays
The eastern Pacific Ocean is home to round stingrays, which are most common south of Point Conception in California, per .
They consume invertebrates like crabs, shrimp, and tomatopods.
Charlotte is expected to give birth to three or four young, although round rays can have up to six babies after a gestation period of about three months.
The babies can reach a maximum width of eight centimeters.
More about parthenogenesis, part three
Aphids, for example, can occasionally give birth to male offspring who are genetically similar to their mother but do not have a second X chromosome, per .
These males are typically fertile, but all of their progeny will be female because they can only create sperm with X chromosomes.
More about parthenogenesis, continued
In apomixis, a different type of parthenogenesis, reproductive cells duplicate through the process of mitosis, which is akin to genetic copy-and-paste and results in the creation of two diploid cells, says.
The progeny created in this manner are genetically identical clones of their parents because these cells never go through the gene-jumbling process of meiosis.
Plants are more likely to experience this type of parthenogenesis.
The progeny of the majority of species that reproduce by automixis normally inherit two X chromosomes from their mother.
The main sex-linked genetic storage, the two X chromosomes, produces only female progeny.
More about parthenogenesis
Meiosis is a complicated process in which cells divide, rearrange, and reproduce in order for the ovaries to create eggs.
With one copy of each chromosome, these eggs only have half of the mother's chromosomes.
Apart from the viable egg, meiosis also produces smaller cells known as polar bodies as a byproduct.
An animal can create progeny by fusing an egg and a polar body in a process known as automixis.
Sharks have been shown to undergo this procedure, which reorganizes the mother's genes somewhat to produce progeny that resemble their mother but are not exact clones, per .
About parthenogenesis
Two components are needed for sexual reproduction: an egg cell and a sperm cell.
Each contributes half of the genetic material needed to produce a living thing.
However, the body devises a special method during parthenogenesis to replace the genes that sperm normally supply.
How Charlotte got pregnant
Because females can reproduce without mating, a condition known as parthenogenesis is most likely the cause of Charlotte's pregnancy.
"Immaculate conceptions" are feasible in many species, including fish, birds, insects, plants, and reptiles, per .
Fans are obsessed with Charlotte
People are anxiously awaiting the birth of Charlotte's pups and are saying so on social media.
When is Charlotte the stingray's due date?
Charlotte's due date is expected to be any day now, although there is no specific time stamp as things stand.
Charlotte's pregnancy was confirmed in November but wasn't publicly announced until Tuesday, February 6.
Taking to Facebook, the aquarium wrote: "Our stingray, Charlotte, is expecting!
"We have held this close to our hearts for over 3 months. We have ultrasound images confirmed by two supporters: Dr. Robert Jones, the Aquarium Vet out of Australia, and Becka Campbell, PhD candidate at Arizona State Univ.
"The really amazing thing is we have no male ray!" the announcement continued, adding that there are a "couple of possible reasons for this event."
"We hope you join us It is a once in a life time science mystery to take part in," the post concluded.
Where is Charlotte the stingray?
Charlotte the stingray, who is believed to be around 12 to 14 years old, is currently living in a tank at a North Carolina aquarium.
She can be found at the Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO in downtown Hendersonville.
Brenda Ramer, founder and executive director of Team ECCO, said the aquarium averages around 70-75 visitors a day when they are open.
But since news broke of Charlotte's mysterious pregnancy in early February, interest and curiosity has spiked across the world.
The aquarium has since been flooded with curious onlookers hoping to witness the birth of the newborns.
Fans can't get enough of Charlotte
Since news of Charlotte's pregnancy was announced, the stingray has gained millions of fans who are desperate for the mystery to be solved.
The social media channels for Team Ecco, the nonprofit that owns the aquarium in North Carolina where Charlotte lives, have since gone viral.
The that shares updates on Charlotte's pregnancy has almost 30 million views, with millions more keeping tabs on Instagram and Facebook.
"I think I'm more invested in this stingray than I am with my own family at this point," said one fan in the latest Charlotte update.
What type of stingray is Charlotte?
Charlotte is a California round stingray.
The round stingray, also known as Haller's round ray, is a species of round ray with nearly round pectoral fins often found on the beaches of southern California.
The species name, halleri, is after the young son of Major Granville O. Haller of the United States Army was stung in the foot in the San Diego Bay.
Round stingrays have a venomous spine, but it is non-fatal to humans.
Credit: Instagram/@teamecco Two-year Gibbon mystery
In February 2023, another mystery solo-pregnancy shocked a Japanese zoo, sparking a two-year investigation.
Momo the gibbon - who lives in a tank alone - gave birth in 2021, which sent her zookeepers on a wild goose chase to find out who the father was.
The white-handed gibbon was living in a cage with big bars cladded in chicken wire, separating it from the males next door.
It was eventually discovered through DNA testing that the father was a gibbon from the neighboring cage, with the point of contact thought to be hole in the wall with a nine millimetre diameter.
DNA testing
The stingray is carrying up to four pups and is expected to give birth any day now - the original due date was February 9.
Once the pups are born, DNA testing will take place so the aquarium staff can finally solve the mystery as to who the father is or if there is a father at all.
They will be able to tell if they are a mixed breed or clones of their mother.
Animals that can reproduce alone
Not all animals need a mate - some are capable of producing offspring all on their own.
Parthenogenesis is a Greek word that means “virgin creation" - it describes a process by which some animals reproduce asexually.
They can produce eggs that develop on their own without fertilisation and the babies become clones of their single parent.
And while it is still very rare in the animal kingdom, here is a list of species that have been known to:
- Sharks
- Stingrays
- Skates
- Komodo dragons
- Starfish
- Whiptail lizards
- Python snakes
- Marbled crayfish
- Amazon molly fish
- Wasps
- Ants
- Water fleas
