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University of South Florida St. Petersburg Student Research Journal, Vol. 1, Issue 1, article 5 : Geometric Probability of Mating Success for the Greater Short-nosed Fruit Bat, Cynopterus sphinx
USF St. Petersburg campus Faculty Publications
  • Krista Ford
  • Leon Hardy
  • Deby L. Cassill
SelectedWorks Author Profiles:

Deby L. Cassill

Alternate Title
Student Research Journal (USFSP)
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2012
Disciplines
Abstract

In the bat Cynopterus sphinx, the random probability of mating success was calculated to be 4%. A combination of several adaptations dramatically increases their mating success to nearly 100%. First, the male and female hang upside down in a front-to-back mount. From behind, the male positions his penis dorsoventral toward the female's genitalia. The male maintains a tight hold on the female by biting the scruff on her neck and by holding her wings with his thumbs, allowing the pair to move forwards and backwards uninterruptedly and rhythmically. The male inserts the glans of his penis while the female bends upward, guiding his shaft to her vaginal opening.

Comments
Also includes poster presented at the USFSP Undergraduate Research Symposium, April 19, 2012.
Language
en_US
Publisher
University of South Florida St. Petersburg
Sponsorship
Mentored by Dr. Leon Hardy and Dr. Deby Cassill
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0
Citation Information
Krista Ford, Leon Hardy and Deby L. Cassill. "University of South Florida St. Petersburg Student Research Journal, Vol. 1, Issue 1, article 5 : Geometric Probability of Mating Success for the Greater Short-nosed Fruit Bat, Cynopterus sphinx" (2012)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/leon-hardy/9/