The serotine bat is causing quite the storm among scientists with its mating ritual which is most unusual, to say the least.
These bats, it seems, are rewriting the birds and the bees with a love game that’s more acrobatics than aerobatics.
The male serotine bat, with a penis that’s seven times longer than the female’s modestly-sized vagina, has baffled researchers.
But it turns out, this oversized love wand isn’t for traditional penetration. Instead, it’s more of a tool for, well, clearing the path to romance.
Imagine this: a penis so long and versatile it’s practically an extra limb, used to gently nudge the female’s tail aside.
The males, with their heart-shaped heads (how fitting!) that are far too wide for a traditional entry, have turned the tables on mating.
Researchers from the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, who must have had quite the time observing these antics, discovered that these bat lovebirds engage in contact mating, more like birds doing the deed.
They found the bat couples in lengthy embraces, some lasting over 12 hours, Sky News reported.
But here’s where it gets even more interesting: the female bats, true multitaskers, use their tails for flying, catching insects, and — surprise, surprise — keeping males at bay.
Pictured above: Serotine bat.
Image source: Pexels
