ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Environment → Animals

Manipulative female squids consume sperm for nutrition

Mihai AndreibyMihai Andrei
June 5, 2013
in Animals
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

RelatedPosts

Dog fertility has gone down significantly, and we’re probably to blame
Scientists design ‘Pokéball’ that safely captures even the most delicate underwater creatures
First MRI mapping of a squid’s brain reveals surprising complexity
Deep sea squid has tentecle tips that ‘swim’ on their own

Benjamin Wegener, a researcher at Monash University’s School of Biological Sciences and his team has shown that for squids, it’s really a dog eat dog out there: certain females consume male ejaculate and sperm as if they were foods, providing more energy for both themselves and future eggs.

squids

For females, it’s really a big win – the sperm is very rich in nutrients, and while ejaculate ingestion has been documented in numerous other species, sperm consumptions is far less common.

“If males have their sperm consumed, rather than used for egg fertilization, they will lose that reproductive opportunity. Therefore, it is in the male’s best interests to try to ensure at least some of his sperm reaches the female’s eggs,” lead author Benjamin Wegener, a researcher at Monash University’s School of Biological Sciences, explained.

Other species which have been documented to consume ejaculate include carrion flies, picture wing flies, a strange marine invertebrate known as Spadella cephaloptera, a type of leech, a marine nudibranch and the southern bottletail squid (Sepiadarium austrinum); humans may ingest sperm, but it’s not part of the standard behavior during reproduction.

“This is an important distinction, as even if the female consumes some of the ejaculate in those internal fertilizers, at least some of the sperm remains inside in the reproductive tract,” he said. “For an external fertilizer with short-term sperm storage, if the female doesn’t lay eggs in time, the male loses his chance to fertilize the eggs.”

This raises many questions. Do the females actually sample the sperm and decide if they want to use it for reproduction or for nutrition? Do they trick unsuspecting, less desirable men into giving their semene? Those are questions yet to be answered.

“As the authors point out, she might even choose to eat the sperm packets from less attractive males and use the sperm from more attractive ones for fertilizing her eggs.”, added Tom Tregenza, a professor of evolutionary ecology at the University of Exeter.

Study

Tags: spermsquid

ShareTweetShare
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Dr. Andrei Mihai is a geophysicist and founder of ZME Science. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics and archaeology and has completed courses from prestigious universities (with programs ranging from climate and astronomy to chemistry and geology). He is passionate about making research more accessible to everyone and communicating news and features to a broad audience.

Related Posts

Health

A Parasite Found in Cat Poop Can Decapitate Human Sperm in Five Minutes

byBill Sullivan
2 months ago
News

Submarine robots find new deep sea squid species that lays surprisingly big eggs

byMihai Andrei
1 year ago
Fossil Friday

Fossil Friday: ancient cephalopod is the first of its kind to sport 10 arms

byAlexandru Micu
3 years ago
Health

A new problem from air pollution: It could be affecting sperm quality

byFermin Koop
3 years ago

Recent news

Computer simulations showing different ornamental uses of a trilobite fossil.

Ancient bling: Romans May Have Worn a 450-Million-Year-Old Sea Fossil as a Pendant

August 1, 2025

These wolves in Alaska ate all the deer. Then, they did something unexpected

August 1, 2025

This AI Therapy App Told a Suicidal User How to Die While Trying to Mimic Empathy

August 1, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.