This Australian phascogale can't stick around for coffee or cuddling. Image credit: Janelle Lugge/Shutterstock Don't be fooled by the prudish appearance of this mouse-sized marsupial---in an evolutionary strategy called suicidal reproduction, males literally sex themselves to death in order to pass on their genes. Scientists have spent 30 years trying to figure out why this would be a good idea. Is it fewer mouths for the furry family to feed? Or eliminating unhelpful dads from the picture? Nope. New research says it comes down to promiscuous females and pumping out super sperm.
Mating season for the dasyuridae marsupials of Australia, South American and Papua New Guinea is just a few weeks long. During this short window of fertility, the flirtatious females will take as much action as they can get. They aren't picky, either, which means the males don't need to fight each other for a share of the action. ...
