The strangest animal mating rituals. Dangers of marriage See what the "marriage period" is in other dictionaries

Relations in mating season between the sexes in the animal kingdom deserve special attention. Most of all, of course, animals during this period are driven by instincts. However, not everything is as primitive as it seems - if you carefully study their behavior at this time, you can notice elements of psychology and even some share of romance. Our smaller brothers, of course, tend to show much more aggression, especially in the wild, but they still show care and even affection. The proof of this is the struggle for the favor and attention of the opposite sex. One of the interesting elements of the mating season is the serenade. Males can sing love songs for their females to attract their attention. So, a whale's mating serenade can last more than a day, and gibbons are famous for singing songs very loudly for their chosen ones. Coloring also plays an important role in attracting the opposite sex. Many animals with already bright colors become much more colorful and brighter during this period. Also, in the organisms of many animals during mating games, pheromones and various smells are released, which draws attention to them and makes them attractive in the eyes of the object of affection. The period of courtship is not complete without tactile interaction.

Animals try to touch their chosen ones, thus expressing their sympathy. Fur seals, for example, may during this period for a long time lie together on the shore, gently touching their heads and shaking their cheeks, while elephants intertwine their trunks and pinch their partner. During courtship, animals are not averse to presenting some kind of present to the female they like. For example, penguins give their ladies feathers. It is also considered a beautiful gesture to leave the largest and most delicious piece of food. Violent fights for the lady of the heart are frequent in the animal world. Hippos, for example, can die in such a fight. It even happens that the male winner eats the loser! In general, the struggle during this period is serious. Below are examples of the most interesting and bizarre marriage rituals.

camels

praying mantises

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Frigates

MARRIAGE PERIOD MARRIAGE PERIOD

mating season of animals. For the most part the globe has a clear seasonal pattern. In B. p. in males (or much less often in females) pl. vertebrates develop secondary sexual characteristics and special forms of behavior (see GON). The development of the gonads in B. p. and the phenomena accompanying this are carried out on the basis of internal. physiol. the rhythm of the body, controlled by external. factors. to extratropical areas of the main ext. the regulator of the seasonality of reproduction is the photoperiod. In the tropics pl. the animals do not breed strictly periodically, but here, too, the onset of the B. p. is often timed to coincide with the rainy season. The seasonal timing of B. p. was formed in the course of evolution in such a way that the birth of young people falls at the beginning of the most favorable season of the year (usually summer); in animals with a short gestation period, the rut occurs in early spring and in summer (hares, rodents, some predators), and in species with pregnancy - in autumn (large ungulates) or even in summer (sable, marten). Depending on external conditions (weather, availability of food, etc.) B. p. may shift in time.

.(Source: Biological encyclopedic Dictionary." Ch. ed. M. S. Gilyarov; Editorial: A. A. Babaev, G. G. Vinberg, G. A. Zavarzin and others - 2nd ed., corrected. - M.: Sov. Encyclopedia, 1986.)

Mating period in animals. As a rule, it has a seasonal frequency. Many vertebrates during this period acquire secondary sexual characteristics (for example, coloration and mating attire in fish and birds), and exhibit specific forms of behavior (lekking, tournaments, nest building). The onset of the mating season is regulated by the seasonal activity of the sex glands that produce hormones that stimulate the sexual activity of animals. see also Gon.

.(Source: "Biology. Modern Illustrated Encyclopedia." Editor-in-Chief A.P. Gorkin; M.: Rosmen, 2006.)

See what the "MARING PERIOD" is in other dictionaries:

MARRIAGE PERIOD- the mating period of animals. One of the main periods in their lives, on which the number and quality of new generations depend. A complex system of relations between males and females, between them and the environment is connected with the mating season. Ecological … Ecological dictionary

mating season- EMBRYOLOGY OF ANIMALS Mating period - the period of mating of animals, which has a seasonal character. In many vertebrates, the severity of secondary sexual characteristics sharply increases at this time, and special forms of behavior are realized ... General Embryology: Terminological Dictionary

- (in animals) the time of year when mating occurs. B. p. in many vertebrates is characterized by the development in males of secondary sexual characteristics (See Secondary sexual characteristics) and the appearance special forms behaviors: "courting" ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

mating season- traction. current. current. current. estrus, estrus. caviar (to spawn). milk. spawning. spawning. spawning ... Ideographic Dictionary of the Russian Language

A pair of mallards in breeding attire (a drake in front) ... Wikipedia

- (contract) an agreement of persons entering into marriage, or an agreement of spouses, defining the property rights and obligations of spouses in marriage and (or) in case of its dissolution. In accordance with v. 40.42 of the Family Code Russian Federation, ... ... Wikipedia

A marriage contract (contract) is an agreement between persons entering into marriage, or an agreement between spouses that determines the property rights and obligations of spouses in marriage and (or) in the event of its dissolution. In accordance with Art. 48 of the Family Code of the Russian ... ... Wikipedia

WEDDING ATTRACT- WEDDING ATTRACT, external features acquired by animals during the breeding season. Many fish acquire brighter colors during the spawning period, which gradually disappear after the breeding season has elapsed. Tritons (males) by the period ... ... Big Medical Encyclopedia

MARRIAGE, marriage, marriage. adj. to marriage 1. Marriage. Marriage bonds. Marriage bed. ❖ Wedding attire (zool.) temporary color change, the appearance of special feathers, tails, crests, etc. in animals (mainly males) during the breeding season, for ... ... Dictionary Ushakov

Have you ever wondered what strange mating rituals animals have? In the animal kingdom, reproduction is not always a straightforward process. In fact, it can be quite complex and controversial. For many, this process includes complex scheme finding a partner, and then luring her for copulation. And the competition is insane here. To get what they want, many males must fight other males, sometimes quite violently, in order to get their soul mate as a reward. However, there are other cases where the mating rituals of animals are just as romantic as those of humans. One thing's for sure: it's strange world where millions of animals compete to pass on their DNA to the next generation. Here are 25 weird animal mating rituals.

25. Banana Slugs

These slimy, yellow creatures are hermaphrodites, meaning they have both male and female reproductive organs, and both partners exchange sperm. When they mate, they attack each other like snakes and may even bite each other. It takes them several hours to get into position and even more time to finish mating. Sometimes they can get stuck stuck to each other. If they fail to separate, they will take turns biting off their genitals, turning exclusively into females.

24. Honey bees

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These buzzing insects have one queen that only mates once in her entire life. During her solitary mating ritual, she flies out into the open, where the drone will overtake the queen in the air and insert its endophallus into her. After that, more male honey bees sit on the queen. When the male honeybee finishes mating, its endophallus breaks off from the body, and, as a rule, its stomach is torn as a result - the male dies. If the male honey bee somehow survives the mating ritual, he will be expelled from the nest because he has fulfilled his mission.

23. Brown marsupial mice


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Originally from Australia, the male rodent practically commits suicide during mating. After preparing to mate, he desperately tries to mate with every female he can for a 3-4 week period. Mating itself can last up to 14 hours. The male becomes so exhausted during this process that his hair falls out, internal bleeding, and his the immune system turns off. When it's over, he and all the other males die.

22. Bonobo



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Closely related to humans, these primates are known to be quite promiscuous. intimate relationships, copulate with multiple partners and view mating as a pleasurable activity, separating it from breeding. Also, unlike many other animals, Bonobos prefer to copulate face to face.

21. Flatworms



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Like banana snails, these wriggling sea ​​creatures are hermaphrodites, but during mating they must choose who will be male and who will be female. How do they make this choice? There is a real competition between them when they try to pierce the enemy first. This process can take up to an hour.

20. Giraffes

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These vegetarians long necks begin the marriage ritual with the so-called "flehmen sequence". This is the process where the male rubs against the rear of the female until she urinates. The male then tries the urine to see if it's ready. If so, he will pursue her until he mates with her, using his neck to hold onto the female. In some cases, males also copulate with each other.

19. Snails

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These mollusks find each other with the help of smell and touch. Like some of the other creatures on this list, they are hermaphrodites. Once they find a mate, they use their "love arrows" to increase the chance of successful reproduction. These arrows can be quite dangerous if they are injected in the wrong place, for example, in a vital organ, which will kill the partner.

18. Fishing spiders


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These long-legged arachnids give gifts. Having found a female, before mating, the male will give her a carcass wrapped in silk as a gift. Scientists believe that this is not a way to persuade the female, but a way not to be eaten.

17. Prairie vole

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Unlike the habits of many other animals, these small rodents prefer monogamy. Scientists have found that when prairie voles mate once, a gene is turned on in their brain that makes them mate only with that partner for the rest of their lives, as well as share space, build nests and act as parents.

16. Cichlid fish

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These fish have a rigid hierarchy and only the alpha male can mate. Other males hang around the alpha male's territory, feeding on whatever they find, and have such a repressed reproductive system that almost look like females. When an alpha male dies, another male can take his place, quickly rebooting his reproductive system. The male builds and, shaking his tail, lures the female into it. She lays eggs in the nest, and he fertilizes them.

15. Red-sided garter snake



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In Narcissus, Manitoba, these crawling reptiles emerge from their lair every year to mate in one giant orgy. The males crawl out first, waiting for the females. When a large female approaches, the males weave into a giant ball, where there can be up to a hundred males.

14 Spotted Hyena



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These laughing African animals have a rigid hierarchy, where females are the leaders of the pack and are very aggressive. More unusually, females have an elongated clitoris with which they urinate, copulate, and give birth.

13. Birds of Paradise

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These magnificent New Guinean birds are unique in their own way, and are distinguished by an amazing combination of colors on their feathers. An even more amazing sight is the mating dance of males. To attract a female, they jump, shake, freeze and make sounds.

12. Bed bugs

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These pesky insects boast a rather brutal and frightening way of reproduction. The male mates with the female through "traumatic insemination" by piercing the female with his subcutaneous genitalia.

11. Hippos



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These hungry and dangerous African mammals have a rather dirty and foul-smelling way of attracting a mate. They first urinate and defecate, then twist their tail to spread the scent. This attracts a partner, and he is for mating. During the prelude, the animals splash in the water. And then they mate.

10. Bluegill sunflowers



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The males of these fish have three ways to mate with the female. The first is to become big and strong, protecting her nest, where the female will come to spawn. Also, a male may swim undetected into another male's nest, following a female of similar shape and size to fertilize the eggs. There is a third option - to swoop in at the moment when the enemy mates with the female and add your sperm to the mixture. However, the last word remains with the male who owns the territory, because he can smell the eggs fertilized by him from the eggs of another male, and will eat someone else's.

9 Emperor Penguins



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These Arctic wading birds begin to mate in March and April. They are alternately monogamous, choosing one partner per year. As soon as the female lays the egg, the male sits down to incubate it, and the female leaves to look for food. As soon as the chick hatches from the egg, the male feeds the chick with milk matter from his esophagus. When the female returns, the male leaves to look for food, and they eventually take care of the chick together.

8. Barbecues

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These strange winged creatures from New Guinea and Australia go to great lengths to attract a mate. Each type of bower, from the Great Bower to the Satin Bower, boasts its own colorful way of making it. Usually, this includes displaying colored objects, plastic toys, and dancing, all to impress the female.

7 Earwigs

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These omnivorous creatures with giant ticks on their tails are mostly nocturnal and exhibit only a few species. social behavior including mating. To find a female, they must feel the pheromones she secretes in her feces. Males fight for the opportunity to mate with a female, and success usually depends on body size and ticks.

6. Sage grouse

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To attract a female, the Sage grouse performs an amazing dance that you should see. Arriving at a special place called "tok", the males sway, fluff their feathers, while females gather around to see the "goods face".

5. Dolphins



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To attract a female, male dolphins do a variety of things, some of which are pleasant and others that are not. To impress the female, they will sing, bring her gifts, or perform crazy acrobatics. However, males have also been known to form "gangs" to kidnap a female from her pack and force her to mate. After mating, males leave the female to look for a new partner, leaving her to raise offspring on her own.

4 Porcupine



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With long, sharp quills all over their bodies, it might seem like porcupines have no chance of mating, but they have solved that problem. Around September, the female porcupine secretes mucus and urine to attract males, letting them know she is ready to copulate. However, once the first male appears, she will not ovulate yet. He will have to wait until the rest of the males gather. A fierce fight ensues between them, and the bloodied winner receives his trophy. When the female is ready, she raises her tail over her back so as not to prick the male. She also folds her needles along her body to keep him safe.

3. Orange amphiprions



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Those little Nemos are spawning all year round, and perform various dance rituals such as standing on their heads, touching the abdominal surface, and bending their backs to each other. What is strange about these fish is that they always start as males and change their behavior to females when there are no females around.

2 Whiptail Lizards

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it rare breed lizards. They have no mating games, and they are all females. Apparently they breed asexual reproduction. So, their mating ritual is a party for one.

1. Khokhlach seal



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In an attempt to show their masculinity, male seals blow on their heads similar to Balloon membrane. A pink ball emerges from the nostrils and descends onto the head. When two males fight over a female, the battle ends when a seal with a large pink ball scares the other.