Mutant, all-female crayfish spreading rapidly through Europe can clone itself

Genome study finds the invasive clonal freshwater crayfish is descended from a single female and reproduces without males

A voracious pest that mutated in a German aquarium and is marching around the world without the need for sexual reproduction may sound like science fiction, but a genetic study has revealed that a rapidly spreading all-female army of crayfish is descended from a single female and reproduces without any males.

The clonal freshwater crayfish is regarded as an invasive species which threatens endemic wild species, but its success may help scientists better understand how cancer spreads.