Animal Reproduction Archives - Dr. Carin Bondar

Mating Songs: What Do They Mean and How Do They Differ?

July 3, 2019 0

Many females rely on the mating songs of males to gain information about the males without even seeing them. Males use their vocalizations to gain access to females. What can females learn from a male’s […]

Why Do Female Spotted Hyenas Have A Penis?

June 19, 2019 0

Spotted hyena females have a pseudopenis, or penile-clitoris. This makes it nearly impossible to differentiate between the sexes. It’s even possible for females to achieve erections. Their external labia are fused together and form a […]

How Is The Alpha Female Meerkat “Queen” Chosen?

April 3, 2019 1

In cooperatively breeding mammals such as meerkats (as well as naked mole rats, and several social primates) there is a dominant breeding couple – the king and the queen. Other members of the group are […]

External Fertilization of Eggs and Embryonic Care in Fish

March 27, 2019 0

In fish species that engage in external fertilization, males ordinarily take over the bulk of embryonic care once females have left their eggs behind. Females may simply take off and leave their eggs to a […]

Broadcast Spawning: What Is It And How Does It Work?

February 13, 2019 0

Broadcast spawning is a form of sexual reproduction used by many aquatic invertebrate animals. Billions of gametes (the combination of sperm and egg) are spewed into the surrounding environment of the ocean. Most of these […]