A female-only species of fish which reproduces asexually has baffled scientists who believe the fish should have become extinct.
Female Only Amazon Molly
However researchers believe the Amazon Molly, which is found in Mexico and Texas, may use tricks to prevent it losing the ability to reproduce.
"What we have shown now is that this fish really has something special going on and that some special tricks exist to help this fish survive," said Dr Laurence Loewe, of Edinburgh University's School of Biological Sciences.
"Maybe there is still occasional sex with strangers that keeps the species alive. Future research may give us some answers."
The fish does interact with male fish of other species, however this is to stimulate the female's reproductive cycle and the Amazon Molly does not use the sperm of the male fish and none of the DNA is passed to the offspring.
The young fish is a clone of the female with all genes inherited from its mother.
However scientists are unable to explain why the Amazon Molly has not become extinct as has occurred with many other species which reproduce asexually.
The study by the university was caried out in collaboration with he Austrian Academy of Sciences. The findings are published in the journal BMC Evolutionary Biology.
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