Scientists Discover Animal that Changes Sex When it Gets Warm

360327

First there was Caitlyn Jenner and now the Australian Central Bearded Dragon: sex changers have been all over the news in recent weeks.

In the case of the latter, scientists have just discovered that the cold-blooded reptile has chromosomes that can change depending on the weather. This means, to put it in simple terms, the temperature at which the bearded dragon’s eggs are incubated at will dictate whether you have a boy or a girl.

All Australian Central Bearded Dragon begin life with two Z chromosomes – making them genetically male – but at warm temperatures this genetic make-up changes and they are born female. It had been seen in the lab before, but for the first time ever it has taken place in the wild.

Exciting, head-scratchingly interesting news, yes. But scientists also say that the discovery raises some concerns. Namely, with global warming pushing temperatures higher and higher, it is foreseeable that more of the lizards could make the transition to become female.

However, while this has been making the news, gendering altering animals are nothing new; there have been various extraordinary discoveries of species that are able to switch between being male and female to adapt to their surroundings.

Hawkfish, Parrotfish and Clown anemonefish all have the ability to choose their gender depending on the balance of males and females in the area. Sluts.

But none of these can compete with our favourite sex-changing animals. No, no. That prize goes to the cleaner fish.

Back in 2011 a team from the Institute of Zoology at the Zoological Society London published a groundbreaking study which found that female cleaner fish, if they eat too much can actually turn into men. What better motivation than to not eat that last tub of ice cream than the risk of a penis popping out?!

zyRzF2B - Imgur

Man Charged after Having Sex with Wife’s Attention-Stealing Dog

buster17n-1-web

A man in the United States has been charged with animal cruelty after he had sex with his wife’s dog because he was jealous of the amount of attention it was getting from his significant other.

Jonathan Edward Medley of Geneva, Alabama was suspected by his wife of having an affair with another woman when the romance dissipated from their relationship. She hid a recording device in the house and it was then that she made the startling discovery.

The recordings uncovered that Medley was actually committing an act of bestiality by having sex with Buster, his wife’s Shih Tzu.

Geneva police captain Ricky Morgan said that the 39-year-old was “mad at his wife because she paid more attention to the dog than him so he had sex with the dog”.

vpMya - Imgur

Morgan explained: “She actually thought he was having an affair with another woman and hid a recording device,” Geneva Police Capt. Ricky Morgan told the Eagle.

“She learned he was in fact molesting the dog.”

Medley was held on $535 after his arrest on Friday 12 June. However, he only faces a misdemeanour charge, which is all bestiality carries under Alabama law.