Some mouse sperm can identify, and even cooperate with, its brethren
This is crazy! Apparently in some promiscuous species of deer mice, sperm from the same male can recognize and cluster together. Theoretically this increases the chance of that male's sperm fertilizing the egg. Since only one sperm cell fertilizes the eggs, the rest are exhibiting altruistic behavior, you know "taking one for the team."
Promiscuity can be a selective force in evolution, as evidenced by this study on the evolutionary origin human penis morphology. Interesting stuff.
Monday, January 25, 2010
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