Sexy Sponges
Check out this week's Sexiest Animal on the Planet: Sponges over at
the Primodial Blog. As Brian Larnder says, you'll never look at a
sponge the same way again.
Posted by Kate Hudson at 03:33 2 comments
Labels: animal, biology, marine, ocean, popular science, science, sex
Wednesday, 9 May 2007
Bedbugs Shoot Up Too
In follow up to Monday's post on Giant Squids Shooting Up, the
behaviour of `injecting' sperm directly into the female is not limited
to the giants of the seas. A male bedbug of the genus Cimex uses a
spike on his penis to pierce a hole through the female's back. He then
ejaculates into this hole and his sperm swim around the female's blood
until they reach her ovaries. The fertilized eggs then develop into
embryos which are born alive in the usual manner. How and why such a
system developed is a mystery.
Posted by Kate Hudson at 02:51 4 comments
Labels: animal, biology, insect, popular science, science, sex
Tuesday, 8 May 2007
Kinky Ducks
Check out Carl Zimmer's column on Kinky Duck Sex. The males have
absurdly long phalluses and the females have convoluted, spiral shaped
organs.
Posted by Kate Hudson at 03:41 0 comments
Monday, 7 May 2007
Giant Squids Shoot Up
Living in harsh environments such as hot deserts, deep seas and high
mountains means that potential mates are few and far between so when
you encounter another member of your species, you have to grab the
opportunity. The Giant Squid (Architeuthis) is one such animal. It
lives in dark deep depths 1000m below the ocean surface. These
tentacled creatures meet rarely and are even more rarely observed by
humans.
These giants beasts can reach lengths of 15m (45ft) and the male
delivers his load by means of a 1m (3ft) long muscular, prehensile
penis. But instead of making the delivery in a conventional fashion,
he actually stabs the female with his appendage and deposits sperm
into the wound. A female giant squid captured off of Australia's
southern coast had sperm embedded in her arms.
This allows the female to store the sperm for long periods, a useful
option since encounters with males are infrequent at these great
depths. It is not clear how the female uses the sperm when she is
ready to fertilize her eggs. Perhaps she reopens the wound to retrieve
the souvenir he left behind or maybe hormonal cues cause sperm
migrates to the surface.
A male giant squid caught off Norway in the 1950s also had sperm
embedded in his skin. This seems odd but when you are a lonely animal
living in a vast, empty world you have take action when a the
opportunity presents itself. Shoot first, ask questions later.
Posted by Kate Hudson at 06:19 2 comments
Labels: animal, biology, popular science, science, sex, squid
Tuesday, 1 May 2007
Voyeuristic Sea Lions and Panda Pornography
Pornography is a human invention but there are animals who are not
adverse to a little voyeurism: California sea lions are an example.
They are stimulated by the sight of other sea lions having sex and
given the opportunity will engage in the act after watching it.
Older males have a `harem' of females who can be quite demanding. The
Old Man is expected to satisfy all of their sexual needs, one at a
time. They copulate for about an hour, floating just below the surface
of the water and once they are done, the male hurries ashore for his
next date.
Younger males watch the alpha males copulate with their females but
usually can't participate, as the older males jealously guard their
females. So for the younger male, voyeurism is his only way of
receiving sexual satisfaction.
Indeed, it is thought that for many vertebrate animals voyerism is
`instructional', especially for the males. But if animals such as
these are raised in captivity, without the benefit of instruction from
elders, how far will their instincts take them?
In some cases not far enough. Breeding pandas in captivity has been
historically difficult, so in recent years some conservationists have
taken novel measures to help the animals along.
In Thailand's Chiang Mai Zoo, two pandas, Chuang Chuang and Lin Hui,
resided quite happily (and abstinately) for four years.The pair were
sent from China in the hope that the comfortable climate at the Thai
zoo would be enough to set off a few sparks between the two. Zoo
officials waited anxiously for the pair to warm up to each other and
start a family. Finally, a first faltering, attempt was made by the
couple but unfortunatly, it failed to produce offspring. The pandas,
apparently having satisfied their curiousity, remained `friends' and
did not stike up a romantic relationship again.
Zookeepers decided that the platonic relationship needed a bit of help
so they formulated a unique plan: Chuang Chuang, the six-year-old
male, viewed films of other mating pandas when researchers thought he
was most relaxed and receptive.
Unfortunately, panda porn didn't work for Chuang Chuang who seems to
want to keep his relationship with Lin Hui strictly platonic. And Lin
Hui seemed to be daunted by the prospect since Chuang Chuang has
gained some love handles. So zookeepers put Chuang Chuang on a strict
diet, hoping that his new physique would turn Lin Hui's head, but to
no avail. Last month, scientists resorted to artificial insemination.
The end result? The pornography wasn't a success, perhaps they're just
not each other's type. But maybe the miracles of modern technology
will help the quest for a baby. Only time will tell.
More information:
Chiang Mai Zoo
National Geographic News
Posted by Kate Hudson at 05:14 4 comments
Labels: animal, lion, panda, popular science, science, sea, sex,
wildlife
Welcome to the Secret Sex Lives of Animals
Birds do it. Bees do it. Humans do it. In fact every animal on this
earth does it. But do they all do it the same way? Mating habits in
the animal kingdom range from the sublime to ridiculous, but each
animal, in their own unique way, accomplishes the same goal.
Welcome to the Secret Sex Lives of Animals, a weekly column on the
bizarre, wonderful, colourful and sometimes shocking world of animal
mating habits.
Why does a praying mantis kill her mate, sometimes before they even
finish the act?
Is there an evolutionary advantage of having three sexes instead of
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