Australian Male Marsupial Dusky Antechinus Dies From Too Much Sex [VIDEO]

University of Queensland researchers recently “discovered” a species of marsupials in Australian in which the males die from too much sex. The animal, which belongs to the antechinus species, has a breeding period of two to three weeks in which the male copulates up to 14 hours and then dies due to sexual exhaustion.

Dr Andrew Baker, the lead researcher and mammologist of the university’s Science and Engineering Faculty, explained, “Ultimately, the testosterone triggers a malfunction in the stress hormone shut-off switch; the resulting rise in stress hormones causes the males’ immune system to collapse and they all drop dead before the female gives birth to a single baby,” quotes Perth Now.

Besides the death of the male species, the dusky antechinus population is also under threat because of habitat loss, feral pests and climate change. Its habitats are usually found in feral forests that are being logged, forcing the marsupial to live in small, fragmented strands of intact forest that are under threat, Baker said.

Because of the death of half the species population due to too much sex, the female ends up providing for their offspring’s food that usually consist of spiders and other forest insects. He points out that the yearly suicide mission of the marsupial’s males means their future is solely in the paws of the mother dusky antichenus.

Over the past three years, Aussie researchers have “discovered” five species of suicidally sexually carnivorous marsupials. However, CNET reports that the Queensland U scientists actually didn’t discover the marsupials but reclassified it into two species that were recognised before as subspecies. These are the Tasman Peninsula dusky antechinus (antechinus vandycki) and the mainland dusky antechinus (antechinus mimetes). It’s reclassification was the result of the measurement by the researchers of the two species’ colour and body, in particular the opening in its palate called palatal vacuities.

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