Another Species With Forehead Sexual Organs
The Eastern Pacific black ghostshark (Hydrolagus melanophasma), a new species from California and Baja California, not taunting other marine life with its retractable forehead genitalia. Credit: MBARI
Chimaeras are sharks much cooler cousins. They are not sharks, i.e. elasmobranchs, but rather a whole other subclass, Holocephali, that split from sharks nearly 400 mya. They are primarily deep water which only endears them to me more. Chimaeras differ from sharks in subtle and not so subtle ways.
Much different from their toothy cousins, male chimaeras have retractable sexual appendages on the forehead. So now that you have that picture in your head, consider there is now one more known species of Holocephali. The new species, the Eastern Pacific black ghostshark (Hydrolagus melanophasma, Greek for ‘water rabbit’ and ‘black ghost’), was described in the September issue of the international journal Zootaxa. The new species is from deep water off central California down to the Sea of Cortez. As one of the author’s of the paper states ‘They have this club on the top of their head with spikes. People think it’s used for mating. It’s like a little mace with little spikes and hooks and it fits into their forehead. It’s jointed and it comes out. We’re not sure if it is used to stimulate the female or hold the female closer.”
Retractable sexual organ on forehead…check
Big retractable sexual organ on forehead…check
Jointed big retractable sexual organ on forehead…check
Jointed big retractable sexual organ on forehead equipped with spike and hooks…check
It’s days like this that I really appreciate the diversity of life. Below the fold a nice video, with horrible music, of shallow water chimaera.
Update: Greg Mayer has reminded that the organ on top is not genitalia, i.e. involved with gamete transfer. It is a hypothesized reproductive organ thought to “to stimulate the female or hold the female closer.” Jerry has wonderful post with pictures of both the organ on the forehead as well as the claspers (actual genitalia)! So I mention this because in my exuberance for a creative title I used the term genitalia. I now corrected this.
Date Posted: September 27, 2009 at 8:48 PM
September 27, 2009 at 10:32 PMTweets that mention Another Species With Forehead Genitals | Deep Sea News — Topsy.com
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tom Reinard. Tom Reinard said: Retractable Forehead Genitalia: http://is.gd/3JItt Good, now I have your attention. (via @pzmyers) [...]
#8339 | Website
September 28, 2009 at 12:36 AMChimaeraLaurie
So cool!
#8341 | Website
September 28, 2009 at 4:17 AMRob Clack
So is that what this beastie was using its strange head appendage for?
#8343 | Website
September 28, 2009 at 5:24 AMThat’s…um…interesting. « The writing life of Nadia Williams
[...] 28, 2009 by nadiawilliams I never knew this, but there are some animals who have their genitals on their foreheads. Sorry, make that their retractable genitals. Now, as a romance writer, I immediately think [...]
#8344 | Website
September 28, 2009 at 6:02 AMCrispyfinger
i love its ‘angel wings’ and massive eyes. it looks so graceful swimming in the water. this species truly is an angel.
#8345 | Website
September 28, 2009 at 7:15 AMwtf?! | Ephemeral Blog
[...] new species has been discovered – the Eastern Pacific black ghostshark (Hydrolagus melanophasma, Latin for ‘water rabbit’ [...]
#8346 | Website
September 28, 2009 at 9:58 AMThat’s not ratfish genitalia. That’s ratfish genitalia. « Why Evolution Is True
[...] at Pharyngula, PZ has linked to a story at Deep Sea News about the description of a new species of ratfish with “forehead genitals”. While [...]
#8347 | Website
September 29, 2009 at 1:49 AMginckgo
“…male chimaeras have retractable sexual appendages on the forehead. So now that you have that picture in your head”
pun intended?
#8355
September 29, 2009 at 5:44 PMAbyss
That’s really cool!
#8359
September 29, 2009 at 7:01 PMBlogBites. Like sound bites. But without the sound. » Blog Archive » Retractable sexual organ on forehead…check.
[...] sexual organ on forehead…check. Another Species With Forehead Genitals | Deep Sea News « Other advice was that you should never use netspeak (ur, u, wat, wont, and so [...]
#8360 | Website
September 30, 2009 at 1:17 AMCaptain Skellett
“Baby I’m gonna hold you with my forehead hook while I sex you with my claspers.” Hydrolagus melanophasma pick up line.
#8365 | Website
September 30, 2009 at 5:17 PMPhalaeo
Well, damn. I got all excited and posted this to my Facebook page….and it doesn’t even transfer gametes.
#8373
October 1, 2009 at 9:47 AMKevin Z
Thats what she said…
#8387 | Website
October 1, 2009 at 9:56 AMKelsey
Without you guys we wouldn’t know about male chimeras and the retractable sexual organs on their foreheads. And so, for sharing the weirdness of the deep sea with the world, we’re honoring you with a Kreativ Blogger award. You can learn more about it on our blog
http://maukamakai.wordpress.com/2009/10/01/kreativ-blogger/
#8388 | Website
October 3, 2009 at 8:07 AMdre in the morning » Blog Archive » Saturday Mornings with Theo
[...] Another Species With Forehead Genitals | Deep Sea News Gotta love them forehead genitals! Scariest thing…the caption says ANOTHER species with forehead genitals… [...]
#8408 | Website
October 5, 2009 at 11:28 PMLe Carnaval du Bleu, No. 29 | Cephalopodcast – The Ocean Podcast
[...] Deep-Sea News: Another Species With Forehead Sexual Organs [...]
#8438 | Website