Dr. Kevin Feldheim, The Field Museum of Chicago: "Shark pop-gen and mating systems" Parthenogenesis, or virgin birth, is a recently described phenomenon in the elasmobranchs (sharks, skates, and rays). This process typically leads to offspring that are homozygous at the vast majority of loci. Here, I will discuss how our group discovered parthenogenesis in an endangered sawfish. Additionally, I will talk about how parthenogenesis is a barrier to reintroducing one species back into the wild. Dr. Kevin Feldheim is the…