The bat with a penis so big that it cannot be used for penetration except as an ‘arm’

2023-11-22 09:58:36

A study published in the journal Current Biology has discovered that there is a species of bat, specifically the serotine bat, that reproduces without the need for penetration. A case that marks the difference from the rest of the mammals that do include this process in mating. This curious research joins a series of studies of biological curiosities that scientists and researchers decide to publish in the media, such as the case of the first chimeric monkey in the magazine ‘Cell’.

In this case, this study, carried out by researchers such as Nicolas Fasel (University of Lausanne in Switzerland), explains that this is mainly due to the fact that the reproductive system of bats is much larger than the vaginas of female bats. This makes presentation impossible and therefore does not serve as a reproduction method but they do use it as an extra arm. However, mating is by contact.

“This study describes a unique characteristic,” argues a biologist at the University of Vienna, Mihaela Pavlicev. The study’s lead author, Nicolas Fasel, is a research biologist at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland. He and his colleagues began this study after noticing the unusual size of the reproductive system of this species of bat: “we thought that it must be really complicated to introduce it anywhere,” he alleges.

Fasel discovered the mating method of these mammals following a video sent to him by a bat enthusiast.

How they reproduce

The researcher says that during the mating process it can be seen that the penis does not enter the vagina of the female bat. In the study, it is speculated that this striking evolution of the species may be due to the fact that the female usually uses “tail membranes to cover her lower parts and protect herself from males” and that, therefore, they could use these penises to penetrate this membrane. Once the penis is positioned close, despite there being no penetration, the sperm does reach the vagina.

Furthermore, Fasel alleges that the studio will go further and says that their future project is the creation of “a porn box for bats” which he adds will be like “an agreement with cameras everywhere.”