Jun 6
2013
Sperm as superfood? It’s a healthy snack for squid and other critters
Certain females consume male ejaculate and sperm as if they were food, using the nutrients to fuel their own bodies as well as their eggs, according to new research.
The study, published in the journal Biology Letters, adds yet another dimension to the battle between the sexes.
“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 to Discovery News.
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The southern bottletail squid occupies the waters off the coast of Australia.