Virgin birth expected this Christmas

[mdlbear]

Virgin Birth Expected at Christmas -- By Komodo Dragon

A virgin birth is expected this Christmas, though this particular nativity scene will be set in a zoo instead of a stable.

That's because the virgin in question is Flora the Komodo dragon, a giant lizard at Chester Zoo in England that has laid fertile eggs despite never having had a mate.

So, let me get this straight: the Messiah is arriving six years late, and He's a lizard. OK, I can deal with that.

(Edit: s/She/He/ -- sex determination in reptiles works differently from the way it does in mammals. Too bad; it made a better story the other way.)

Comments

[saffronrose.livejournal.com]

So can Mr_Kurt's mother....once I explained it a bit.

[roaringmouse.livejournal.com]

MAZEL TOV!!!!!

[jenkitty.livejournal.com]

Several male lizards, actually. Although they should rename that mama Mary.

[mdlbear]

Darn -- you're right; I missed the second page. And forgot that the XY thing mostly just applies to mammals; sex determination works differently in reptiles.

[chaoswolf]

So Jesus is a baby reptile now? Virgin Mary is a dragon?

Oh puh-leze....*rolls eyes*

[phillip2637.livejournal.com]

Would somebody page Raphael. He needs to re-do that Madonna and Child picture.

[jilara.livejournal.com]

Actually, they're not expecting the dragonettes until January, but I suspect it was too much fun for National Geo to rework it to say "as early as Christmas." (And I thought it was too cool for words, whatever the timing.)