Sex makes the world go ’round – without it, few species would survive. And while humanity’s getting pleasure from procreating is unusual, with many animals it gets way weirder than that.
Way. Weirder.
Below are 8 of the more bizarre ones we’ve come across.
8. Water bugs make quite a racket while in search of a partner.
Micronecta scholtzi are the loudest animal in the world relative to their size. They can reach nearly 100 decibels by rubbing their penis against their abdomen – a very loud, very penis-y mating call.
7. Turtle mating sounds make for good sound effects.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BphixJxnzwh/
Filmmakers used the loud, distinct mating sounds of tortoises to create the velociraptor sounds in Jurassic Park.
6. Duck vaginas have defense mechanisms.
Duck penises are long and corkscrew-shaped, and can be used like a lasso to pull in females trying to escape unwanted advances.
Yeah. Terrifying.
In response, female ducks have evolved vaginas that twist in the opposite direction – what Discover magazine refers to as “organic chastity belts.”
5. Sharks can reproduce asexually.
https://www.instagram.com/p/ByK3Q8Unl0Z/
A female zebra shark named Leonie has laid eggs both with and without male involvement, and she is not the only one – when the circumstances call for it, sharks are capable of asexual, virgin births.
4. Only 3% of bird species have penises.
Ostriches and ducks have them, but eagles and penguins do not. Also, when birds get erections, their penises fill with lymph fluid instead of blood.
Birds without penises transfer sperm via a cloacal kiss – meaning the male just kind of squirts sperm from his cloaca into the female’s cloaca without any sort of penetration.
3. Big cats love a good cologne.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz0sZAqgNRu/
Synthetic colognes have sex appeal to tigers and jaguars, who have shown signs of stimulation after being exposed to the scents. Forest rangers have even used Obsession for Men to lure tigers out of the wild!
2. Animals have reproduced in space.
Humans have never had sex in space (according to NASA), but we know animals have.
Rats, frogs, and even geckos have gotten it on – and procreated – in space.
1. Barnacles have adaptable penises.
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz0hwCmlgFL/
Barnacles have penises that can stretch up to 8x the length of their bodies, and they can also adapt to their environment by altering their shape.
Those definitely qualify as weird in my book.
