A new study of C. maculatus seed beetles has proven the worst case scenario for most men: size and in this case the number of painful, injuring spikes on their penises do in fact matter. The C. maculatus have a series of spikes and barbs on their members that, during sex, become embedded in their mates, acting as anchors of sorts.
"They literally injure females internally in their copulatory duct. They're pretty mean," Goran Arnqvist, the lead author of the study, said to National Geographic.
After looking at a large group of diverse, virgin beetles after copulation the study concluded that the beetles with the "largest and most damaging" phalluses had the most reproductive success. The injury to the females was simply an "unfortunate side effect" of the process. Holding tongue. Not making joke. Holding tongue. Holding tongue....
More entomologically hardcore images below the fold...
(comment deleted to protect the innocent)
One species of seed beetle actually has a jaw like spine structure on its appendage.
Life Science
Comments
I guess "french tickler" would be an understatement.
Posted by: Lance | February 25, 2009 9:55 PM
Five things come immediately to mind:
1. Looks like Cimex lectularius has some competition...
2. Why does the first picture remind me of Momaw Nadow?
3. "Just relax, baby, it'll only hurt for a little bit."
4. On whose fingertips is this travesty occurring?
5. Everything's bigger under electron microscopy
Posted by: (Ashamed to post this) | February 25, 2009 10:26 PM
And I'm once again very thankful to be human.... and not a seed beetle.
Posted by: Zelly | February 26, 2009 2:54 AM
did they need to employ a beetle 'Fluffer' to take these shots? and what dose of viagra is OK for a seed beetle?
Posted by: Marcus | February 26, 2009 3:53 AM
I have never been more thankful that I'm human, and not a female seed beetle. :)
Posted by: Katie 2.0 | February 26, 2009 2:27 PM
this one leaves me speechless
Posted by: ym | February 26, 2009 7:13 PM
never been more thank
Posted by: bursa evden eve nakliyat | February 27, 2009 11:45 PM
Erm, actually, yes they did. A microscopic pipette connected to an pump.
Posted by: Ed Yong | March 1, 2009 5:47 PM
"Bow-chicka-wow-wow"
My favorite of all time photo captions on Zooillogix. Thanks guys! :-D
Posted by: pat | March 3, 2009 11:36 AM
You can find out more about the phalloblaster here:
http://membracid.wordpress.com/2009/01/29/insect-genitalia-an-entomological-obsession/
Posted by: bug_girl | March 7, 2009 6:54 AM
good really
Posted by: halı yıkama | March 19, 2009 5:39 AM