Sex ritual of this bat isn't quite how mammals copulate, video recorded in Netherlands shows
Bat
Scientists have successfully solved a long-standing mystery surrounding the reproductive habits of serotine bats, a species known for its disproportionately large penis. Thiscomes after years of research by a European team, aided by an unexpected source – a Dutch retiree recording bat sex in a church attic.Bats are the only mammals who can flyastheir forelimbs are adapted as wings.
The serotine bat, with a wingspan exceeding 14 inches, boasts a surprisingly large penis, seven times longer than the vaginas of female serotine bats. The researchers were confusedby the unique heart-shaped expansion of the penis head, questioning its functionality.
Nicolas Fasel, a researcher at Switzerland's University of Lausanne, received a peculiar email from Jan Jeucken, a retiree with no scientific background. Jeucken's extensive recordings of serotine bat mating in a local church attic provided crucial insights, reported CBS News.
The researchers analysed 93 mating events, discoveringthat serotine bats engage in "contact mating" or "cloacal kissing," a phenomenon previously observed in birds but never in mammals.
The male bats use their large penises as copulatory arms, removing a membrane from the female bats during an extended embrace.
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
The unconventional reproductive strategy
With mating sessions lasting up to 13 hours, the study suggests a peculiar reproductive strategy.
The researchers speculate that female bats might use their extended cervixes to retain sperm from multiple males before choosing a mate, highlighting the need for further research into the intricacies of bat reproduction.
Also watch |Afforestation in the Chinese capital attracts over 500 bird species
Bat porn box
As scientists aim to deepen their understanding of serotine bat mating behaviour, plans for a "bat porn box" are underway.
This innovative setup, resembling an aquarium with strategically placed cameras, aims to capture and studybat mating in a controlled environment, shedding more light on their peculiar reproductive patterns.
(With inputs from agencies)