 |
These are the messages that have been posted on inthe00s over the past few years.
Check out the messageboard archive index for a complete list of topic areas.
This archive is periodically refreshed with the latest messages from the current messageboard.
This is a topic from the Life on Mars forum on inthe00s.
Check for new replies or respond here...
Subject: Cricket balls bowl over scientists
Written By: Philip Eno on 11/11/10 at 2:27 pm
Scientists say a species of bushcricket has the biggest testicles of any creature on Earth - proportionately.
The bushcricket's testicles account for up to 14% of its body weight - equivalent to a human with testicles weighing 5kg (11lbs) each.
Karim Vahed of the University of Derby and his team began their studies by measuring the testicle size of 21 species of bushcrickets, reports the BBC.
They found that one species - Platycleis affinis - far surpassed the previous record for the proportionally largest testicles.
The previous holder was a species of fruit fly - Drosophila bifurca - whose testicles to body weight ratio has been recorded as 10.6%.
However, a study of the bushcricket's mating strategies revealed they released only small amounts of sperm at each mating.
That suggests the big testes are for mating with many females, not producing competitive volumes of sperm for each encounter.
"Males with bigger testicles are actually producing smaller amounts," Dr Vahed told BBC News.
"This very much favours the alternative hypothesis: that it's about the number of different females the male can fertilise, rather than getting a greater success per female."
Subject: Re: Cricket balls bowl over scientists
Written By: hot_wax on 12/28/10 at 7:10 pm
Scientists say a species of bushcricket has the biggest testicles of any creature on Earth - proportionately.
The bushcricket's testicles account for up to 14% of its body weight - equivalent to a human with testicles weighing 5kg (11lbs) each.
Karim Vahed of the University of Derby and his team began their studies by measuring the testicle size of 21 species of bushcrickets, reports the BBC.
They found that one species - Platycleis affinis - far surpassed the previous record for the proportionally largest testicles.
The previous holder was a species of fruit fly - Drosophila bifurca - whose testicles to body weight ratio has been recorded as 10.6%.
However, a study of the bushcricket's mating strategies revealed they released only small amounts of sperm at each mating.
That suggests the big testes are for mating with many females, not producing competitive volumes of sperm for each encounter.
"Males with bigger testicles are actually producing smaller amounts," Dr Vahed told BBC News.
"This very much favours the alternative hypothesis: that it's about the number of different females the male can fertilise, rather than getting a greater success per female."
Oh yeah! do you know what's smaller than a teeney weeney flea??
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
A flea's teeney weeney!!!