Some post-coital habits are much more harmful than cigarettes after sex. This is especially true for those animals whose representatives devour each other. In this case, the birth of the cub will occur in an incomplete family. Many creatures, including certain types of spiders, slugs, and some insects, regularly use their cannibalism skills. As a rule, a short straw goes to males who die at the hands, paws and mouths of their last lovers. The reproductive function of males is so high that they are even ready to sacrifice life for the sake of procreation. Today we will talk about ten animal cannibals that kill their partners after mating.
10 animal cannibals killing individuals of the opposite sex:
1
Orbiting Spiders
If you are a male orb spider, then your chances of survival after your first sexual experience are incredibly small. More specifically, in 80% of cases, female orbiting spiders eat their males after mating. Since males can take only one chance to pass on their genes, they are incredibly picky in choosing a sexual partner. This contrasts with other species, where the choice of partners is the prerogative of females.
Age-related female orbiting spiders have virtually no chance of mating. Spoiled males (still, sex for the first and last time!) Would rather prefer a young chubby spider, which can offer not only beauty, but also fertility. Procreation above all!
2
Wormwood Cricket (Cyphoderris strepitans)
In the name of preserving life, male specimens of a wormwood cricket present a generous gift to females. In the process of mating crickets, females eat the wings of males, enjoying a liquid oozing from the body of men. Fortunately, the females are not so voracious as to eat the whole wings, they “leave” part of the limbs “good-natured” so that the male can once again make intercourse.
The problem is that the “chewed” crickets are no longer so attractive in the eyes of females who need only whole wings, from where they can suck out more life-giving juice. Thus, a virgin wormwood cricket is in the first place for females, and only when all winged partners are dismantled, women will pay attention to experienced lovers.
3
Banana slugs
After pairing, the banana slug begins its self-destruction ritual. This action will make even the most callous person cry. Like many types of slugs, these yellow mollusks are hermaphrodites.
Although banana slugs are able to fertilize themselves, they often look around in search of a partner, and if they find it, they prefer paired fertilization. If the slugs are ready for mating, they release special chemicals into the mucus, inviting the potential “spouse”.
As soon as slugs find a mate, they eat each other's mucous secretions. After exchanging sperm, the slugs begin to gnaw on their own genitals in order to separate from the partner.
4
Octopus
Despite the fact that male octopuses are at a much lower risk of being eaten after intercourse than males of other species presented in our article, they still cannot feel safe being next to the female.
Octopuses are asocial animals, hiding even from their relatives, but this does not save them from the need for reproduction. By the way, the method of pairing octopuses is quite interesting. In order to fertilize the female’s egg, the male must insert one of its tentacles inside her body.
There are frequent cases where female octopuses strangle their partners with their tentacles. After the murder, the female drags the failed husband to her shelter to feast on dinner. Most often, such a finale of intercourse is observed in animals with long tentacles. One of these species are coconut octopus.
In order not to be in the tight embrace of their mistress, many male octopuses prefer to mate at a distance (the tentacles are good), keeping the female at arm's length. Some males are so smart that they fertilize female octopuses outside the den while they are inside.
Did you know that the octopus has one of the largest eyes in the world?
5
Anaconda
Female anacondas in some cases kill their partners by strangulation. It is easy enough for them to do this, since females are almost five times more than males. It is noteworthy that anaconda males prefer to choose larger females for mating, although scientists can not understand how this species of boas determines the size of a partner, given their poor eyesight. It is assumed that size information is transmitted by females along with pheromones that attract males.
Cannibalism is vital for anaconda females, as they become pregnant, they will not hunt for seven months. Therefore, the best option would be a hearty lunch immediately after conception. And who, if not the male, is closest to the anaconda, attracting her with a juicy body and the ability to be full for more than six months.
6
Australian Widow (Latrodectus hasselti)
The name of these spiders speaks for itself, because they just don’t become widows. Male red-backed spiders (another animal name) willingly sacrifice themselves to pass on their genes in the mating process. They can die literally during coitus. Interestingly, the males parasitize without weaving a net, but simply live on the edge of the web, which was made a female. There they give the "bride" all kinds of signs that they are ready for mating.
If the males are lucky and the females do not eat them right away, mistaking for prey, they continue their mating games, holding the attention of the future widow during the mating process. Male Australian widows stand on their heads, giving the female access to her stomach, where she will press her mouth. This allows him to insert his reproductive organ while the female is busy immersing the digestive juices in the male’s abdominal cavity.
Juices are needed to thin the spider's insides. If the red-backed spider is strong enough, he can have time to insert the second probe (yes, he doesn’t have one), before he says goodbye to life. It is believed that this mating method is found only in representatives of latrodectus hasselti.
Do not think that the cannibalism associated with the Australian widow ends here. Although each egg sac contains about 300 eggs, the cubs of red-backed spiders are so bloodthirsty that they eat each other. Adults get a ticket. According to TheBiggest, these are some of the most immoral animals in all representations. But here, of course, not about morality ...
7
Black Widow
There is a misconception that female black widows in 100 percent of cases kill males immediately after intercourse. However, many species should be attributed to the black widow, and not all of them are cannibals. Most species do not eat their relatives in the wild at all, considering the partner as potential food, only in captivity.
For example, if you consider all types of black widows that live in the United States, only one of them is famous for the tendency to cannibalism after sexual intercourse. The classic representative, called the female Latrodectus mactans, only in some cases eats a man after mating, the vast majority of copulations of these spiders end quite well, and males can make several more mates.
By the way, on thebiggest.ru you can also watch an interesting article about the most unusual eyes of spiders.
8
Horned nudibranch clam
Fiery hermesenda is a representative of the species of marine gastropod mollusk, belonging to the species of slugs. Their brightly colored bodies of the jelly structure receive pigment due to the color of living creatures eaten by mollusks. And although nature has not awarded teeth with horned nudibranchs, they are rightfully considered bloodthirsty predators.
The main weapon of this slug is a small proboscis, with which it strikes and attracts the victim, even if it is a representative of its species. He does not need teeth at all, since the victim is not chewed, but swallowed whole.
Fiery hermissends are hermaphrodites, therefore, mating often ends in the fertilization of both participants in the process. It is not surprising that after receiving his portion of sperm, a larger participant in coitus will try to eat his lover.
9
Horse spiders
Male horse spiders forget about the sense of self-preservation with the onset of the mating season. They are ready to fertilize literally any female, without thinking about the consequences.
Spider boys attract girls with the help of mating dance, and it does not matter to them how the spider appeared before them, even if it belongs to a different species. Apparently, the males of jumping spiders are unusually illiterate and stupid if they cannot determine their kindred. In the course of research, it was revealed that some males are trying to attract the attention of already dead females.
Since males are significantly inferior to females in size, they run the risk of being eaten by a potential partner right during their mating dances. But, like all women, female jumping spiders are cunning and treacherous, usually they eat their partners only after the act of intercourse. Although in some cases the males do not live to mate. And there is nothing to rave about in front of a large female different from your species.
10
Mantis
Meet the superstar of our rating - the mantis female! Perhaps she is the most famous in the world as the killer of her copulation partner. However, it is wrong to think that the male loses his head or other part of the body during intercourse due to great passion.
Most often, females kill their partners if they feel hunger or severe irritation. In this case, less than a third of the acts of mantis mating end in death, which contradicts the bloodthirsty image of a female mantis.
That's because males are pretty agile and can run away from the female. In addition, it was noted that in a situation where a pair of mantis can easily get their own food, the female does not try to eat her partner, they can mate for several days in a row. And since males live much less than females, at some point in time, they become powerless and lethargic. In this case, the males may voluntarily sacrifice to the females, anticipating their imminent death.
Scientists have noticed that representatives of the species tenodera sinensis get more offspring when the female killed her partner immediately after the act of copulation. The male body has all the necessary nutrients for the birth of healthy offspring.
And here is a video of how a female praying mantis eats a male:
What is better, to be dead, but with a large father, or to live a long time, but with one praying god? Waiting for an answer in the comments! Also write to us what other animal cannibals do you know?