The Acquario Cala Gonone in Sardinia said the baby, dubbed Isperia, was born in a tank in which only two female smooth-hound sharks have lived for the past decade. The aquarium said officials suspect the shark was born via a process known as parthenogenesis, which involves a polar cell, which contains a duplicate of an egg's DNA, fertilizing the egg in the absence of sperm. 

Marine biologists at the aquarium said they have sent samples for testing to confirm whether Isperia is a genetic clone of her mother.  Parthenogenesis has previously been observed in three species of shark: the Bonnethead, the blacktip shark and the zebra shark.  The aquarium said the results of the DNA test could determine whether smooth-hound sharks become the fourth species to make the list.