SEX-starved worm can GIVE HEAD to ITSELF to reproduce

Bioboffins have found a species of flatworm, Macrostomum hystrix, that can reproduce by injecting its own head with its sperm. The spunky self-shagging slitherer is discussed in a paper titled Hypodermic self-insemination as a reproductive assurance strategy that's made it into the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. The …

[Anonymous Coward]

I've seen this on video, and it looks awkward.

[alain williams]

Seen it on video

Does that count towards one of the 200 porn videos that you watch every year ?

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/07/01/entire_planet_watch_200_smut_videos_year_research/

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Seen it on video

200 per year? crap, I have some catching up to do!

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Seen it on video

don't worry AC some of us are making up for your slacking!

[Anonymous Coward]

I wish I could do that.

[Anonymous Coward]

"I wish I could do that."

Give him a biscuit, he'll probably let you.

[The old ones are still good]

[Mutton Jeff]

Offer it a biscuit and it might let you.

[stupormundi]

I like “stylet” , it sounds at once diminuitive and stylish. Surprised the marketing drones haven't abused it yet.

[Anonymous Blowhard]

I think "stylet" is a good word for "marketing drone"; it's a small penis that wounds as it delivers information...

[Anonymous Coward]

"stylet" or "aedeagus"

"Stylet" is, I suppose, a bit easier to remember than "aedeagus", another tool for traumatic insemination (invertebrate rough sex). I think this image is probably safe for work:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Traumatic_insemination_1_edit1.jpg

[razorfishsl]

One of the few animals that can realize its fantasy......

[Anonymous Coward]

Two worms arguing

Macrostomum hystrix 1: - Go fuck yourself!

Macrostomum hystrix 2: - Ok!

[Anonymous Coward]

OK

What dickhead came up with that? Dickhead - geddit?

[David Roberts]

Always fancied myself...

...never quite got round to it.

Appropriate icon --->

[TheOtherHobbes]

Does it work for Microsoft?

[Elmer Phud]

Finally . .

. . . fuckwit

[Old Handle]

Despite the appeal of being a hermaphrodite, it doesn't seem worth it. Having ready made holes for sex is just a better deal all round.

[Anonymous Coward]

And what would the appeal of being a hermaphrodite be? That you have to be careful even when knocking one off?

[Evil Auditor]

Also homo sapiens

Just check out people who are kept in long-term solitary confinement. Totally fucked in their head. They don't reproduce though. But probably would if they could...

[x 7]

despite what the author may think, this isn't actually novel research. I can remember reading of planarians with this ability in a specialised book 30 or more years ago. I can't remember the source, nor do have the online resources to track it down, but this IS an already known phenomenon.

That's the problem with modern science - theres so much of it, and so much old literature that keeping aware of it is impossible

[Evil Auditor]

literature review

That's about where a scientific study should start. Internet made that task an awful lot easier. Not everything is available online though, but some "scientists" simply ignore what's not been published on the webs.