UNISEXUAL MOLE SALAMANDER

The unisexual Ambystoma are an all-female complex of salamanders that reproduce through kleptogenesis, a unique reproductive mode in which females steal sperm from males of related Ambystoma species to trigger egg development without incorporating the male's genetic material. This ancient lineage is estimated to be 5 million years old, making it one of the oldest known unisexual vertebrate lineages. They are found across the Great Lakes region and northeastern United States, including Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio.