HOME | DD

Description
Athyrmatherians have fairly standard reproductive systems, with male and female sex organs. Most of the endothermic fauna are gonochoric (distinctly male or female), with all of the zooids within a single body being genetically the same sex. More basal ectothermic clades, however, tend to be hermaphroditic, bearing both male and female organs and reproducing via cross fertilization. Due to their modularity and high degree of polymorphism, the placement and even number of reproductive systems can vary drastically in both sexual systems. Many species only have reproductive organs in their lower abdominal segment and copulate in a much more conventional manner. Others may have reproductive organs all body segments except for the head, and reproduce by disassembling and exchanging zooids with one another. Most Athyrmatherians are oviparous, and lay leathery eggs that hatch into (initially) non-modular larvae. Males (as pictured here) have retractable penises, which evert from the cloaca via hydrostatic action.

Description
Athyrmatherians have fairly standard reproductive systems, with male and female sex organs. Most of the endothermic fauna are gonochoric (distinctly male or female), with all of the zooids within a single body being genetically the same sex. More basal ectothermic clades, however, tend to be hermaphroditic, bearing both male and female organs and reproducing via cross fertilization. Due to their modularity and high degree of polymorphism, the placement and even number of reproductive systems can vary drastically in both sexual systems. Many species only have reproductive organs in their lower abdominal segment and copulate in a much more conventional manner. Others may have reproductive organs all body segments except for the head, and reproduce by disassembling and exchanging zooids with one another. Most Athyrmatherians are oviparous, and lay leathery eggs that hatch into (initially) non-modular larvae. Males (as pictured here) have retractable penises, which evert from the cloaca via hydrostatic action.