Bat uses its huge penis like an arm during sex

Male serotine bats have a bizarrely long penis with a heart-shaped head that they use like an arm during sex. Now Nicolas Fasel and his colleagues at University of Switzerland have found that serotine bats (Eptesicus serotinus), a common species found across Europe and Asia, also reproduce in a unique way. Video recordings reveal that penetration does not occur when serotine bats mate; instead males use their penis to push a protective membrane out of the way. Learn more ➤ Subscribe ➤ Get more from New Scientist: Official website: Facebook: Twitter: Instagram: LinkedIn: About New Scientist: New Scientist was founded in 1956 for “all those interested in scientific discovery and its social consequences”. Today our website, videos, newsletters, app, podcast and print magazine cover the world’s most important, exciting and entertaining science news as well as asking the big-picture questions about life, the universe, and what it means to be human. New Scientist