289
Hyena Power Rule
(lemmy.world)
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
this post was submitted on 22 Jan 2025
289 points (100.0% liked)
196
16815 readers
766 users here now
Be sure to follow the rule before you head out.
Rule: You must post before you leave.
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
For anyone interested, let me add that hyenas give birth through their pseudo-penis. Have fun in the hyena rabbit hole, there is lots to be discovered!
Wait what?!
If that helps, it's actually a really long clitoris which is used to urinate, copulate and well... give birth. The first-born cubs are usually stillborn as the pseudo-penis needs to rip open, which does take some extra time the first time around. There's also a solid chance the mother dies in the process.
What evolutionary benefit do these pseudopenises have?
Not everything has to have an evolutionary benefit. If it doesn't impose a significant malus, random nonsense mutations can just as easily become evolved traits. Evolution doesn't have a plan, and nature makes frequent mistakes.
This random mutation, which seems to be mostly negative, has to have outbred the standart form to be the widely known hyena today, no? It just seems to be the sorta trait that would disappear along the way.
If you want to know some theories about their purpose, I've written a few in respone to another comment!