How a Spear Squid Mates Depends on its Birth

Paleopedia
Paleopedia
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Published 2024-05-11
Animals across the planet utilize many different mating behaviors. Some animals use colorful displays, some physically fight each other, some mate for life, and some simply mate with as many individuals as possible.

When it comes to cephalopods such as squid and cuttlefish, most males will select a female and then guard her until she deposits her eggs. These are usually the largest males that use this strategy. But in some species, smaller males will use their size to their atvantage to sneak past the bigger males and mate with the very female the bigger male is guarding right under his gaze.

And in one species of squid in Japan, these two mating tactics appear to be entirely dictated by the time of year each male was born. Lets talk about it

Study Link: royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2024.0…
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