First evidence of hemiclitores in snakes.
- Journal:
- Proceedings of the Royal Society B
- Published:
- DOI:
- 10.1098/rspb.2022.1702
- Affiliations:
- 5
- Authors:
- 4
Research Highlight
Found at long last: clitorises in snakes
© dikkyoesin1/RooM/Getty Images
Clitorises have been identified in female snakes for the first time.
The study of female genitalia in animals has suffered from an over-emphasis on the male counterparts. This imbalance is evident in the study of lizards and snakes, with male sexual organs receiving much more attention.
The perception that snakes lacked clitorises had been puzzling because, with the exception of birds, other related animals have them.
Now, a team led by researchers from the University of Adelaide in Australia has found clitorises in nine species of snake.
A detailed analysis of clitorises in the Australian death adder suggests that they play a functional role during mating.
The researchers note that clitorises in snakes had been overlooked in previous studies due to a litany of errors, including confusing clitorises with scent glands.
References
- Proceedings of the Royal Society B 289 20221702 (2022). doi: 10.1098/rspb.2022.1702