Nature is fucked up. Bedbugs mate via “traumatic insemination,” where the male stabs the female in the gut with his reproductive organ and injects sperm straight into her body. And we all know about ducks…
Crazy shit evolves.
Comment on Also literally known as the Horror Frog
smeg@feddit.uk 1 day ago
The hairy frog is also notable in possessing retractable “claws”, which it may project through the skin, apparently by intentionally breaking the bones of the toe.[5] These are not true claws, as they are made of bone, not keratin. In addition, there is a small bony nodule nestled in the tissue just beyond the frog’s fingertip. When sheathed, each claw is anchored to the nodule with tough strands of collagen. When the frog is grabbed or attacked, it breaks the nodule connection and forces the sharpened bones through the skin.[6][7] Although a retraction mechanism is not known, it has been hypothesized that the claws later retract passively, while the damaged tissue is regenerated.
This type of natural weaponry appears to be unique in the animal kingdom, although the Otton frog possesses a similar “spike” in its thumb.[8] An alternative hypothesis is that the broken bones could provide a better grip on rocks.[9]
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hairy_frog
Yep, pretty horrifying, accurate name.
protist@retrofed.com 22 hours ago
morto@piefed.social 19 hours ago
Evolution only favors continuity, not well-being, and that’s why we should stop glorifying it
Whostosay@sh.itjust.works 22 hours ago
Out of the loop on these ducks, are we talking about the duck rape?
ApathyTree@lemmy.dbzer0.com 20 hours ago
Probably the evolutionary arms race between rapey males and females. Males have long corkscrew penises that inflate rapidly during copulation to fill the tract of the female. Females, what with their desire to choose mates and all, have evolved corkscrew vaginal tracts with dead ends and stuff that spirals in the opposite direction. Forced mating frequently ends without insemination, as a result.
I am genuinely unsure of the mechanism by which successful mating actually happens, considering the anatomical arms race and all (maybe it’s like dolphins, which have a similar problem. Female dolphins have a false vagina and can choose where the male’s sperm goes by changing her tail position), but they seem to be able to reproduce, so it is what it is, and I’m not super keen to look it up at the moment.
Whostosay@sh.itjust.works 19 hours ago
That is wild lol thanks for sharing
mnemonicmonkeys@sh.itjust.works 19 hours ago
Fyi, I’m pretty sure the duck rape thing is specific to mallards. But I’m not an ornithologist
GrilledCheese@lemmy.blahaj.zone 17 hours ago
I assume they are talking about the spiraled reproductive organs
Zombie@feddit.uk 20 hours ago
Literal needle dick
Shrubbery@piefed.social 18 hours ago
“Evolution, may I have broken bones?” “For better grip on rocks?” “Yeeeees” Actually for making weapons, like a boss
SoleInvictus@lemmy.blahaj.zone 17 hours ago
A picture adds the missing context that the meme leans into to make this seem more awful than it is.
The bone isn’t broken as if it was cracked in half and the jagged shards protrude from the skin. The tips of the toe bones are sharp points, held in place inside by a tiny “claw rest”’ bone at the end. The frog flexes a muscle, the bone breaks free from the bony rest, and the sharp tips protrude through the toe pads.