Our world is truly unique, like every single creation of it. Still others exhibit unconventional sexual inclinations.
On the topic of mating animals, many different scientific films and videos have been released. We heard more than once about a mantis female biting off her partner’s head in the process of intercourse more than once, but I want something new, so to speak, “fresh facts”.
We present you an up-to-date selection of representatives of the fauna that breed in the most unique and sometimes shocking way.
10. Slug
These slippery spineless creatures are by their nature hermaphrodites, that is, they combine the female and male reproductive systems in one organism. But precisely for laying eggs, cross fertilization is nevertheless necessary, therefore, representatives of the species by smell search for a mate, perform a short-term “mating dance” and exchange sperm. After that, female processes start in the body, so each of the mating participants can lay eggs - an average of 2-3 dozen. The sexual activity of these animals is striking - within a month of life after an active “gaining fat” the young slug is ready to breed.
9. Darwin Rhinoderm
Mating in frogs occurs in a standard way, but the process of “birth” has unique features. Fertilized caviar is swallowed by the male rinoderma and is contained in the voice (sound) sac, which complicates the life of the amphibian and the nutrition process. Dad hatches eggs until the tadpoles fully mature and hatch, which prevents their premature death and eating by predatory animals. The male lets out young adults. Here is such an unusual concern and sacrifice on the part of the father.
8. Cuttlefish
This colorful mollusk has long been known for its ability to disguise itself as an environment. At the same time, he can sort out the color scheme in a split second, which allows you to quickly hide from enemies and, of course, conquer the lady you like. This skill is necessary, since there are much more males in nature (sometimes the number exceeds 10 times), which forces the latter to fight for the right to mate. And in this battle, which is noteworthy, “intellect” wins more often than muscles. That is, a weaker and smaller cuttlefish can get a "lady", just correctly applying the skill of disguise. And the male turns into ... a female! At the same time, he convincingly hides an additional tentacle for the distribution of sperm, and simulates the presence of a special bag for carrying eggs. "Transvestite" quickly merges with the crowd and freely gets to the female.
7. Hens
It would seem that poultry can surprise us little - it has already been studied many times. But in fact, no one thought about how the hens reproduce. It turns out that if there is no rooster in the pen for a long time, then the females can rebuild their reproductive system and reproduce independently in the usual mode. Of course, this situation is rare, but there is a place to be.
6. Deep sea anglers
Monkfish constantly falls into various TOPs as one of the most terrible or non-standard fish. But he also managed to distinguish himself in the method of reproduction. It turns out that anglers are adherents of sadomasochism. After reaching puberty, the male with all the passion bites into the body of the female, which, by the way, can be several times larger. Over time, the fusion of the body membranes and the circulatory system occurs, and the male, in fact, plays the role of a kind of reservoir for sperm that feeds at the expense of the female. However, he no longer has its own fins and even eyes. But that is not all. A female sadist is capable of destroying and carrying up to six males in this way. Moreover, it regulates the moment when caviar should be fertilized from a “sperm bank”.
5. Tiger Sharks
Beautiful and terrible sharks, like many other marine animals (not fish), practice live births. Not eggs, larvae, and not even small ones are born, but a full-fledged reduced copy of an adult shark. The bloodthirstiness of a sea predator manifests itself from the first months of life, because dangerous cubs immediately rush in packs to consume sisters and brothers. As a result, only the strongest and most healthy survive in a fierce battle.
4. Octopus Argonaut
This marine inhabitant is also a regular in various TOPs and reviews. Today we will also talk about the sad moments of his sex life. Males of this species are forced to suffer from sexual hunger, because nature gave them a very unusual type of penis. After self-production of sperm, the reproductive organ is separated from the body and sent to free swimming, hoping to find a female ready for breeding. Here is such a floating “sperm bank” that anyone who wants to have offspring can stumble upon in the deep sea. The male can only sadly watch how his former body part mates independently with his partner. The penis, it turns out, grows back over time, preparing the male for a new act at a distance.
3. Seahorse
Playful and cute creatures inspire scientists to various studies. Males of this species are not particularly lucky in their personal lives, because they have everything the other way around. In the beginning everything seems to be the same as for others - several long dates, intimate dances with linked tails and graceful movements. Then a sexually mature female implantes eggs into the male’s body, which combine with sperm and begin to mature in a special bag. That is, it is the male horse that turns out to be “pregnant”. Woe-father must carry up to two hundred small copies! After the "birth" the male forever leaves the offspring, giving them an independent path to life.
2. Kangaroo
Even small children know about unusual breeding of kangaroos. The marsupial animal surprises with its “open” pregnancy, because the embryo can be seen without special ultrasound machines and other devices. A premature baby after giving birth through the female’s body creeps into a bag on its own, where it is waiting for nutritious mother’s milk. The organs of the kangaroo and its limbs are formed there. It's funny to watch an adult and independent baby kangaroo still comfortably sit in the sagging bag of an unhappy mother and get to know the world - well, pure parasitism!
1. Whip-tailed Lizard
The females of these reptiles are so independent that they do not need males for mating. The process of reproduction in them is called parthenogenesis, that is, it proceeds without fertilization of the egg. The lizard is essentially a hybrid mixture of offspring of 2 different species: western and striped Arizona whiptail. Such hybridization leads to the appearance of unhealthy offspring of males and its degeneration. By the way, the lizard can lay up to 4 unfertilized eggs over the summer, from which new young females hatch in a couple of months.
The nature of the fauna is incomprehensible and will surprise the world community of scientists more than once. And we can only wonder what sacrifices and tricks animals are ready for in order to reproduce their own species.