Monday, May 02, 2005

Varieties of sex

Like most slugs, the Banana Slug is hermaphroditic. Each slug has both male and female reproductive organs. Although they are capable of self fertilization, they more often cross mate. When a slug is ready to mate, it leaves behind a chemical in its slime to signal potential mates. Before mating, the slugs will eat each others slime. Mating usually occurs at night. The slugs exchange sperm that fertilize the eggs internally. The Banana Slug gnaws off its penis when disengaging from sex.

Bluehead wrasses are common to the tropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean. This fish species exhibits protogyny (females are capable of becoming males).

Button beetles can and often do mate with their own brothers or sisters when they've only just hatched.

The female button beetle lays a small clutch of unfertilized eggs which develop into males. She mates with the first to hatch and then eats him and his brothers before laying a large brood of daughters - and perhaps one or two more sons for her girls to mate with. These creatures are known to infest buttons on clothing.

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