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Why A Little Mammal Has So Much Sex That It Disintegrates
National Geographic ^
| 10/8/13
| Ed Yong
Posted on 10/08/2013 10:32:52 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows
It’s August in Australia, and a small, mouse-like creature called an antechinus is busy killing himself through sex. He was a virgin until now, but for two to three weeks, this little lothario goes at it non-stop. He mates with as many females as he can, in violent, frenetic encounters that can each last up to 14 hours. He does little else.
A month ago, he irreversibly stopped making sperm, so he’s got all that he will ever have. This burst of speed-mating is his one chance to pass his genes on to the next generation, and he will die trying. He exhausts himself so thoroughly that his body starts to fall apart. His blood courses with testosterone and stress hormones. His fur falls off. He bleeds internally. His immune system fails to fight off incoming infections, and he becomes riddled with gangrene.
He’s a complete mess, but he’s still after sex. “By the end of the mating season, physically disintegrating males may run around frantically searching for last mating opportunities,” says Diana Fisher from the University of Queensland. “By that time, females are, not surprisingly, avoiding them.”
Soon, it’s all over. A few weeks shy of his first birthday, he is dead, along with every other male antechinus in the area.
(Excerpt) Read more at phenomena.nationalgeographic.com ...
TOPICS: Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: napl; sex
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To: ConservativeTeen
21
posted on
10/08/2013 11:05:46 PM PDT
by
Slings and Arrows
(You can't have Ingsoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
To: Slings and Arrows
Mantids and spiders either.
22
posted on
10/08/2013 11:12:20 PM PDT
by
Olog-hai
To: Slings and Arrows; shibumi
Every biker party I’ve ever been to.
23
posted on
10/08/2013 11:17:11 PM PDT
by
Salamander
(Blue Oyster Cult Will Be The Soundtrack For The Revolution.....)
To: ApplegateRanch
24
posted on
10/08/2013 11:18:15 PM PDT
by
Salamander
(Blue Oyster Cult Will Be The Soundtrack For The Revolution.....)
To: ConservativeTeen
I will forever regret Googling “Snu-Snu”.
25
posted on
10/08/2013 11:20:41 PM PDT
by
Salamander
(Blue Oyster Cult Will Be The Soundtrack For The Revolution.....)
To: Slings and Arrows
It’s the literal translation of ‘F*** Off And Die.”
26
posted on
10/08/2013 11:20:58 PM PDT
by
hoagy62
("Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered..."-Thomas Paine. 1776)
To: Slings and Arrows
Sounds like the average homosexual, although they prefer sodomy to mating.
27
posted on
10/08/2013 11:21:57 PM PDT
by
Cowboy Bob
(They are called "Liberals" because the word "parasite" was already taken.)
To: Slings and Arrows
"He mates with as many females as he can, in violent, frenetic encounters that can each last up to 14 hours. He does little else." Reminds me of my early 20's.
Being in a popular local rock band had its perks...
28
posted on
10/08/2013 11:23:26 PM PDT
by
Mad Dawgg
(If you're going to deny my 1st Amendment rights then I must proceed to the 2nd one...)
To: Salamander; ConservativeTeen; Slings and Arrows
"Snu-Snu"
I thought it was an abbreviation for Southern Nethodist University.
As an aside - Conservative Teen - You've been on here it says since 2001. Don't you think you should petition JimRob for a new handle? Or are you living out Rod Stewart's "Forever Young?"
29
posted on
10/08/2013 11:29:23 PM PDT
by
shibumi
(Cover it with gas and set it on fire.)
To: shibumi; ConservativeTeen
Shhhhhhhh!
30
posted on
10/08/2013 11:37:32 PM PDT
by
Salamander
(Blue Oyster Cult Will Be The Soundtrack For The Revolution.....)
To: shibumi
What are you saying? I cannot be a teenager forever? How judgmental of you!
But yes, I am 8 years overdue for a new handle. I am not really good with names and ConservativeLateTwenties does not have quite the same ring to it.
To: Salamander
...but with less gangrene, I hope.
32
posted on
10/08/2013 11:45:09 PM PDT
by
Slings and Arrows
(You can't have Ingsoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
To: Cowboy Bob
Or an episode of “Sex and The City.”
33
posted on
10/08/2013 11:46:21 PM PDT
by
Slings and Arrows
(You can't have Ingsoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
To: ConservativeTeen
“PostWhipperSnapper”
“PriusMediusAntiquus”
“ChicoCabezaMocos”
Need more?
34
posted on
10/08/2013 11:47:58 PM PDT
by
shibumi
(Cover it with gas and set it on fire.)
To: Slings and Arrows
Women will do that to you
35
posted on
10/08/2013 11:51:10 PM PDT
by
tophat9000
(Are we headed to a Cracker Slacker War?)
To: Slings and Arrows
Knew a guy like that in high school, way back in the day.
36
posted on
10/08/2013 11:51:52 PM PDT
by
Jack Hammer
(American)
To: Salamander
As you know, I *LOVE* Ivan Albright.
One of the few remaining good reasons to travel into Chicago is to visit his work at the Art Institute, where hangs, by the way, this masterpiece:
"That Which I Should Have Done I Did Not Do"
37
posted on
10/08/2013 11:58:57 PM PDT
by
shibumi
(Cover it with gas and set it on fire.)
To: Slings and Arrows; Lazamataz
I can’t BELIEVE nobody’s pinged Laz!
38
posted on
10/09/2013 12:00:02 AM PDT
by
JennysCool
(My hypocrisy goes only so far)
To: JennysCool
39
posted on
10/09/2013 12:02:18 AM PDT
by
Slings and Arrows
(You can't have Ingsoc without an Emmanuel Goldstein.)
To: Slings and Arrows
Why A Little Mammal Has So Much Sex That It Disintegrates Before:
After:
40
posted on
10/09/2013 12:07:16 AM PDT
by
Talisker
(One who commands, must obey.)
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