Biologists have uncovered new insights into the mating tactics of the peculiar southern bottletail squid, a small species found in the sandy shallows of Southern Australia. Research led by PhD student Benjamin Wegener found females eat the ejaculates of their mates, a trait never before associated with cephalopods, the group that includes squid, octopus, cuttlefish and nautilus. Moreover, the study revealed smaller females tended to eat the most ejaculates of their mates, potentially decreasing the chances of successful fertilization of her eggs.
(Photo: Kade Mills)
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