Within the animal kingdom, the act of mating can be perilous, especially for males. While male rivalry and competition are common, there exists a more sinister fate for some males—they become prey. In certain species, it is not only larger and stronger females that claim the lives of their mates but also consume them. This phenomenon, known as sexual cannibalism, serves as a macabre means for females to acquire the energy and nutrients necessary for reproduction. Delve into the intriguing world of six animals that engage in the unsettling practice of consuming their own mates.
6 Animals That Eat Their Mates
Mantis: Deadly Courtship
The praying mantis is an insect known for its practice of sexual cannibalism, although not all species engage in this behavior. Females, being significantly larger and stronger, easily overpower their male counterparts. They release pheromones to attract males, but once the male approaches mating, he becomes vulnerable to attack. Even if the female decapitates the male, he can still mate due to abdominal nerve control. The energy and nutrients gained from consuming the male aid the female in the demanding process of giving birth to around 100 eggs. Some mantis species can also reproduce asexually through parthenogenesis, and consuming the male can support this reproductive strategy.
Black Widow: Web of Danger
The black widow spider is another example of an animal that occasionally practices sexual cannibalism. Male black widows are much smaller than females, often less than half their size. Females construct webs coated with pheromones to attract potential mates. Intriguingly, males engage in web reduction, cutting parts of the web and masking the female’s scent with their own. To mate with the female, the male must position a portion of his body between her fangs, making him susceptible to being consumed. However, studies suggest that in the wild, black widows rarely consume their mates, with this behavior occurring more frequently in captive environments.
Jumping Spider: Dance or Be Eaten
Male jumping spiders face a unique challenge when it comes to mating: they must impress the female with their dance moves or risk becoming a meal. Female jumping spiders can mate only once, making them highly selective. To win the female’s favor, the male performs intricate dance routines, leaping and waving its limbs while creating rhythmic songs by beating parts of its body together. These vibrations transmit through the ground, captivating the female. If the female is impressed, mating occurs. If not, the rejected male may become a snack.
Green Anaconda: Mating Battles and Nourishment
The mating strategy of the green anaconda involves intense competition among males and the potential for them to become a meal for the female. Female green anacondas are polyandrous, mating with multiple males. This occurs in “breeding balls,” where numerous males converge on a female, competing to find the cloaca for mating. These breeding balls can last for up to four weeks, during which the female mates with several males. Following the trend, the larger and stronger female green anacondas consume one or more of the males after mating. This act provides them with the necessary nutrients for successful offspring development, considering their long gestation period and limited mobility.
Scorpion: Sacrifice for Survival
Scorpions have a peculiar mating dynamic that involves potential cannibalism. The mother scorpion invests significant time and energy in her offspring, giving birth to as many as 100 live young in one brood. Unlike most nonmammalian animals, scorpions are viviparous, birthing live offspring instead of laying eggs, which demands even more energy. As a result, males that linger near females after mating may be killed and consumed. This act of cannibalism provides sustenance to the female, enabling her survival and the successful nurturing of her young. In extreme cases, scorpion mothers may even resort to eating their own offspring to ensure their own survival.
Octopus: Cannibalistic Mating and Hatchlings
Octopuses, known for their intelligence, display cannibalistic tendencies in certain species during mating encounters. Male octopuses possess a specialized arm called a hectocotylus, which they use to deliver sperm packets to the female. Once mating is complete, the female octopus often consumes the male. In many octopus species, males die soon after mating, making this sacrifice seemingly inevitable. Female octopuses protect their eggs diligently and frequently perish upon giving birth. Additionally, cannibalism extends beyond mating, as hatchlings sometimes engage in consuming their siblings as a means of survival.