Dr. Tiana Pirtle

So the male can't mate with female unless she is fully on board. Open for business. So the male's response strategy is he will, to use those terms that we said are often describing males, he will threaten her by, he sits on top of her and taps the water, and that will alert all the predators, right? In the water. Right.

So the male can't mate with female unless she is fully on board. Open for business. So the male's response strategy is he will, to use those terms that we said are often describing males, he will threaten her by, he sits on top of her and taps the water, and that will alert all the predators, right? In the water. Right.

And the predators will come up, and because the female's on the bottom, she has a higher chance of being eaten. So he'll just sit there. She can't fly away because he's sitting on her. And he'll just tap, do this little threatening tap dance until she either opens her ovipositor, gets eaten, or they both die. Leave. Wow. What a strategy.

And the predators will come up, and because the female's on the bottom, she has a higher chance of being eaten. So he'll just sit there. She can't fly away because he's sitting on her. And he'll just tap, do this little threatening tap dance until she either opens her ovipositor, gets eaten, or they both die. Leave. Wow. What a strategy.

The insect world is really fascinating when it comes to genitals and insects where the females have the penis. Well, we would call it a gynosome, but it would be what we think of as penis. And the male has the receiving organ. Yes, there's many ways to be a male and a female.

The insect world is really fascinating when it comes to genitals and insects where the females have the penis. Well, we would call it a gynosome, but it would be what we think of as penis. And the male has the receiving organ. Yes, there's many ways to be a male and a female.

So there's a couple more animals I want to go through. So far we've just been talking about generally one vagina, but there are animals with two.

So there's a couple more animals I want to go through. So far we've just been talking about generally one vagina, but there are animals with two.

Yes. In fact, there are many animals with two. So this is the rattlesnake. So you can see there's two of them. Two vaginas, two uteri. And each one can be fertilized? The males have two-pronged penis, the hemipenes. So they use them both at the same time.

Yes. In fact, there are many animals with two. So this is the rattlesnake. So you can see there's two of them. Two vaginas, two uteri. And each one can be fertilized? The males have two-pronged penis, the hemipenes. So they use them both at the same time.

The hemipenes. And either one can shoot out sperm.

The hemipenes. And either one can shoot out sperm.

And then they have the two vaginas, two uterus. So... To clitoris? Yes. Hemiclitoris is what it's called in snakes. Does it give pleasure? And hemipene. So there's been remarkably little research about clitorises, which is remarkable because all mammals definitely have one. And I'm pretty sure... Pretty much all vertebrates have one as well.

And then they have the two vaginas, two uterus. So... To clitoris? Yes. Hemiclitoris is what it's called in snakes. Does it give pleasure? And hemipene. So there's been remarkably little research about clitorises, which is remarkable because all mammals definitely have one. And I'm pretty sure... Pretty much all vertebrates have one as well.

And we don't really know what they do for these animals, but presumably they play an important role in reproduction. Because otherwise that's a big lot of wasted energy for evolution.

And we don't really know what they do for these animals, but presumably they play an important role in reproduction. Because otherwise that's a big lot of wasted energy for evolution.

So tell me the evolutionary arms race going on with these snakes.

So tell me the evolutionary arms race going on with these snakes.

Okay. Well, so snakes, these rattlesnakes, they reproduce quite fast. Slowly. They're long-lived, slow-growing animals. So I believe they don't become sexually mature until they're about 13. Okay. And they also don't produce very many clutches. So what these snakes do and a lot of other species in the animal queendom do is they'll store sperm.

Okay. Well, so snakes, these rattlesnakes, they reproduce quite fast. Slowly. They're long-lived, slow-growing animals. So I believe they don't become sexually mature until they're about 13. Okay. And they also don't produce very many clutches. So what these snakes do and a lot of other species in the animal queendom do is they'll store sperm.