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posted by Fnord666 on Wednesday April 10 2019, @02:52AM   Printer-friendly
from the wet-goddess dept.

New insights on the form and function of the dolphin clitoris

Despite decades of fascination with dolphins, scientists have long overlooked one aspect of the species' anatomy. For the first time, researchers offer an up-close look at the clitoris of female dolphins along with insights on the potential for the animals to experience sexual pleasure.

The scientists discovered that female bottlenose dolphins have large and well-developed clitorises. The structure of the tissue suggests the clitoris may expand, for example, in response to stimulation. The skin under the clitoral hood contains bundles of nerves that may increase sensitivity and the potential for pleasure, as has been found in the human clitoris.

Previous studies suggest sex plays an important role in social bonding among dolphins, as seen in other social species. Dolphins copulate year-round, including during periods when they cannot conceive.

"In other mammalian species with year-round copulation, such as humans and bonobos, sex is known to be pleasurable for females, often through clitoral stimulation that leads to orgasm," said Dara Orbach, PhD, research associate at Mount Holyoke College, who conducted the research along with Assistant Professor of Biology Patricia Brennan, PhD. "Our anatomical observations suggest the clitoris is functional in bottlenose dolphins, but further research, including physiological and behavioral analyses, are necessary to test if sexual experiences can be pleasurable for female dolphins."

Functional Morphology of the Dolphin Clitoris

Dolphins copulate year-round despite short estrus periods. Copulation may be pleasurable for female dolphins through clitoral stimulation, as they have large and well-developed clitorises. Although female mammals possess a clitoris homologous to the penis, the general structure and functional morphology has only been described in a few species. We explore the gross morphology and microanatomy of the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) clitoris at different developmental stages to assess the potential for erectile tissue to expand during copulation. Excised clitorises were collected opportunistically from eleven post-mortem dolphins including adults, subadults, and calves. Specimens were subdivided for use in: 1) gross morphology dissections, 2) micro-computed tomography scans, or 3) paraffin histology and staining (modified Mason's trichrome and hematoxylin and eosin). Erectile tissue was present consistently along the clitoral body that extended from the hood tip to the base. The erectile tissue had a forked shape and similar relative volumes in both the calf and subadult specimens. The erectile tissue was surrounded by a thick layer of smooth muscle along the lateral sides of the crurae, clitoral body, and hood, but not cranially or caudally. Muscle tissue was surrounded by connective tissue. There was a hard bulb with a capsule around it at the root of the clitoris proper that was comprised of dense connective tissue. It appeared to be structural rather than erectile or secretory in nature. Our data provide a baseline for comparisons with other species known to have sex for pleasure (e.g., humans). The consistent shape and relative volumes of erectile tissues between calves and subadults suggest there are few developmental changes except for allometric size increases. Future research that compares the density of connective tissue in cetaceans and other marine and terrestrial mammals may be able to yield insights if the unexpectedly dense tissue of the dolphin clitoris is an adaptation driven by natural selection or sexual selection.

Original Submission

 
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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 10 2019, @03:36AM (2 children)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 10 2019, @03:36AM (#827252)

    I don't say this often, but this is definitely better than an aristachu submission.

  • (Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 10 2019, @12:24PM (1 child)

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 10 2019, @12:24PM (#827409)

    aristachu

    Is that a pokemon or something?

    • (Score: 0, Flamebait) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 10 2019, @01:32PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday April 10 2019, @01:32PM (#827420)

      More like an STD.