Snakes Have Heart-Shaped Clitorises, Researchers Provide First Description Of The Organ In Serpents

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Snakes have heart-shaped clitorises, a new study has found. An international team of researchers, led by the University of Adelaide, have provided the first anatomical description of this reproductive organ in serpents. The study was recently published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B Journal.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The researchers analysed female genitalia in adult snake specimens across nine species, as part of the study. They also compared the female snake genitalia to adult and juvenile male snake genitalia.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Since female genitalia are "conspicuously overlooked" in comparison to their male counterparts, there is limited academic understanding of sexual reproduction across vertebrates such as snakes and lizards, a statement released by La Trobe University in Melbourne said.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><strong>Which snake species were studied?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The snake species studied were </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Acanthophis antarcticus</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, also known as the Death adder, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pseudonaja ingrami</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a serpent native to different parts of Australia, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Morelia spilota</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a snake native to Australia, New Guinea, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bismarck Archipelago</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, and the northern Solomon Islands, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pseudechis colleti</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Pseudechis weigeli</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Bitis arietans</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a snake species native to semi-arid regions of Africa and Arabia, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Lampropeltis abnormal</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a serpent species from Los Brisas del Mogoton, Nicaragua, the </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Agkistrodon bilineatus</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a snake species native to Mexico and Central America, and </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Helicops polylepis</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, a species from Estaci&oacute;n Biol&oacute;gica Madre Selva, Peru.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a statement released by University of Adelaide, Megan Folwell, who led the research, said across the animal kingdom, female genitalia are overlooked in comparison to their male counterparts, and the new study counters the long-standing assumption that the clitoris is either absent or non-functional in snakes.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><strong>More about female snake clitorises</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Kate Sanders, another author on the paper, said the researchers found the heart-shaped snake clitorises, or hemiclitores, are composed of nerves and red blood cells consistent with erectile tissue. This suggests that the clitoris may swell and become stimulated during mating. She added that this is important because snake mating is often thought to involve coercion of the female, and not seduction. In other words, it is often believed that female snakes are coerced or forced into mating.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the statement released by La Trobe University, study co-author Jenna Crowe-Riddell said the anatomy of female snake clitorises can flip the coercion assumption.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The researchers found the hemiclitores on snakes using bio-imaging techniques and dissection.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sanders also said that through the research, the authors have developed proper anatomical descriptions and labels of the female snake genitalia, and they can apply their findings to further understand reproductive evolution and ecology across snake-like reptiles, such as lizards.&nbsp;</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Folwell hinted at the fact that the research tries to overcome the taboo associated with female genitalia across every species.</span></p>