![]() However, in some situations two penises might also be an evolutionary advantage over one, which might explain why the dual arrangement still exists in modern species. ![]() So the short answer might be: evolutionary inertia. In subsequent evolutionary radiations, the paired units were unnecessary (because only one mating organ is needed to do the job properly), so the loss of one side meant that the single penis emerged, so to speak, as the dominant male reproductive organ in higher vertebrates.” After paired fins had transformed into legs, the claspers were lost, but in their place, other paired reproductive structures merged from the urogenital plate, such as the hemipenes of lizards and snakes. “So initially, the reproductive structures of early jawed fishes were paired as part of the leg or hind-limb pattern of bones. įascinating question, Joanna! Researchers believe that the dual hemipenes configuration in reptiles and snakes is an inherited feature from their aquatic evolutionary ancestors whose reproductive structures were genetically coupled with a certain pair of bilaterally symmetric clasper fins. Exhibitionist spiny anteater reveals bizarre penis. 2006. Morphological Extremes-Two New Snakes of the Genus Atractus from Northwestern South America. One‐Sided Ejaculation of Echidna Sperm Bundles. The American Naturalist, 170 (6): E162-E164. You are the man who has it all.ĪBC Science. I hope this means that you, unlike I, can still salvage those connections you share with the people most important to you. Yes, it’s clear from that smile, you have a family that loves you and understands your passion for your work. Johnston, not only for your solving the prong puzzle, but your breezy smile here seems to indicate that you, like I, have come to peace with the burden scientists like us must endure. ![]() Those of you with a discerning eye might have spotted this towards the end of the above video see also fig. Johnston discovered was that, just how reptiles only use one hemipenis at a time, male echidnas disengage one side of their penis and only use half when ejaculating (Johnston, 2007). 2: Half disengaged echidna penis (Johnston et al., 2007) 1a). Echidnas seems to have inherited precisely this style of doubly bifurcated reptile penis, but fused into a single mammal-like penile shaft (fig. Additionally, some hemipenes fork at the tip, for a total of four penile prongs (see fig. Male reptiles typically have a pair of penes, known as hemipenes, only one of which is used during copulation. The reason the echidna’s penis is so unusual has to do with its reptilian evolutionary heritage. So now after watching the video five or six times in a row, agape and speechless, your trembling awe finally subsiding, you may ask aloud in a quaking voice, “Why, oh God, why is it like this?” To answer this we must abandon Mythology and give ourselves over to Science. Now prepare yourself, and,īehold, the four-headed Hydra birthed from the belly of Echidna! But they did not understand the burden of this profession, that as penile scientists we must accept the sublime with the terrible, often at the same time. Better persons than I have been unraveled by what are about to see, some very dear to me. I warn you: the following video is not for the faint of heart. What terrible secret do you hold, little echinda?
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