Sea slug disposes of penis after sex scientists find
It’s often said we’ve developed a throw-away culture, but a sea slug which discards its penis after sex takes things to a whole new level.
Scientists studying the Chromodoris reticulate were surprised to learn the creature can detach, re-grow and then re-use its penis.
They believe this is the first creature known which can repeatedly copulate with what they describe as a "disposable penis".
Chromodoris reticulate, which are found in the Pacific Ocean, have both male and female sexual organs and can use them both at the same time.
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The scientists, who studied 31 copulations, said in most cases after copulation “they pushed away the partner using the buccal bulb and separated with their penes stretched and elongated. When both individuals advanced further, one individual removed its own penis from the partner’s vagina.
“After a few minutes, the other individual also removed its penis and their copulation ended. After copulation, both individuals crawled with their elongated penes remaining outside the body. Finally, they autotomized and discarded their penes”.
But just 24 hours later the creatures could copulate again, the scientists said.
Scientists explained a large part of the creature’s penis is coiled up inside its body. This is effectively a penis-in-waiting which replaces the discarded organ.
Nils Anthes, an evolutionary ecologist at the University of Tübingen in Germany who was not involved with the study, told Nature: “If genetic work confirms that the penis spines are really loaded with rival sperm after retraction, then it is best for the animals to dispose of the penis like a dirty syringe.
“Otherwise they may risk delivering some rival sperm mixed with their own during later sexual encounters”.
The findings came to light after a Japanese team led by Ayami Sekizawa at Osaka City University and Yasuhiro Nakashima at Nihon University in Tokyo went scuba diving off the coast of Okinawa to collect the sea slugs. They then placed the creatures in aquaria in pairs.
Comments
by Wafty
Thursday, February 14 2013, 8:40AM
“something missing from this story - I was expecting it to explain how the 'discarded organs' managed to travel round half the planet and end up as Derby city councillors......”