insect who shows extreme gender role
reversal when it comes to mating rituals.
The Neotrogla female has a penis like organ,
which she uses to "mate" with her male partner
Girls will be boys and boys will be girls, but a little-
known Brazilian insect takes role reversal to a
whole new level.
Scientists researching the cave-dwelling
Neotrogla say the female sports an impressive
penis, which she uses to "mate" with her male
partner.
He, on the other hand, is blessed with what the
researchers describe as a "much-reduced, vagina-
like opening".
As if that does not make the insect's sex life
interesting enough, copulation between the two
sexes can last up to 70 hours.
"Although sex-role reversal has been identified in
several different animals, Neotrogla is the only
example in which the intromittent organ is also
reversed," said lead scientist Dr Kazunori
Yoshizawa, from Hokkaido University in Japan.
A study of four species of the Neotrogla showed
that the penis-like structure of the female, called
a gynosome, is inserted into males and used to
receive capsules of nutrient and sperm.
Once within a male, the part inflates and projects
spines which anchor the two insects together.
The scientists found it impossible to pull coupling
males and females apart without causing injury.
Their description of Neotrogla's strange mating
habits is published in the journal Current Biology.
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