whiteleg shrimp
zooillogix | June 18, 2007Don't look at me, I'm hideously bloated!
Researchers at Ben-Gurion University in Negev, Israel, have identified whiteleg shrimp as the only known species where the male has a reproductive cycle or "period." The male whitelegs--actually a type of prawn--generate two sperm packets per month which they attach to their female mates during reproduction. If, however, these packets are not used, they can solidify and prevent the male from getting rid of them. Thus, these prawns have developed a period or cycle of every two weeks, whereby they lose their sperm packets and develop new ones.
Scientists…