Why Do Female Hyenas Have Pseudo-Penises?!

Video Description

Female hyenas don't have penises, but it sure looks like they do - and we still aren't quite sure why. To start using Tab for a Cause, go to: http://tabforacause.org/r/minuteearth2 Thanks also to our supporters on https://www.patreon.com/MinuteEarth ___________________________________________ To learn more, start your googling with these keywords: Pseudopenis: a structure that resembles a penis but is developmentally (and functionally) different Masculinization: the process by which female genitalia is made to appear more like male genitalia ___________________________________________ If you liked this week’s video, you might also like: Why It Sucks to Be a Male Hyena https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBCNWmU5apE Hyena having a baby at the Buffalo Zoo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rd7TvoPtWM _________________________________________ Subscribe to MinuteEarth on YouTube: http://goo.gl/EpIDGd Support us on Patreon: https://goo.gl/ZVgLQZ And visit our website: https://www.minuteearth.com/ Say hello on Facebook: http://goo.gl/FpAvo6 And Twitter: http://goo.gl/Y1aWVC And download our videos on itunes: https://goo.gl/sfwS6n ___________________________________________ Credits (and Twitter handles): Script Writer: Kate Yoshida (@KateYoshida) Script Editor: Alex Reich (@alexhreich) Video Illustrator: Ever Salazar (@eversalazar) Video Director: Kate Yoshida (@KateYoshida) Video Narrator: Kate Yoshida (@KateYoshida) With Contributions From: Henry Reich, Emily Elert, Peter Reich, David Goldenberg Music by: Nathaniel Schroeder: http://www.soundcloud.com/drschroeder Video Credits: Spotted Hyenas Mating - Olivia Spagnuolo Image Credits: Female Spotted Hyena - Kate Yoshida Spotted Hyena Pseudopenis - Kay Holekamp Striped Hyena (Hyaena hyaena) - Flickr user Jean https://www.flickr.com/photos/7326810@N08/3091611374 Brown Hyena (Parahyaena brunnea) - Bernard DUPONT https://www.flickr.com/photos/berniedup/6472940707/ Proteles cristatus - Dominik Käuferle https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Proteles_cristatus1.jpg Squirrel monkey - Wikimedia user Megapixie https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Squirrel_monkey-_fuji.jpg Ring tailed lemur - Wikimedia user Sannse https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ring_tailed_lemur_and_twins.jpg Fossa - Ran Kirlian https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cryptoprocta_Ferox.JPG Binturong - Tassilo Rau https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Binturong_in_Overloon.jpg ___________________________________________ References: Cunha GR, Risbridger G, Wang H, Place NJ, Grumbach M, Cunha TJ, Weldele M, Conley AJ, Barcellos D, Agarwal S, Bhargava A, Drea C, Hammond GL, Siiteri P, Coscia EM, McPhaul MJ, Baskin LS, Glickman SE. (2014) Development of the external genitalia: perspectives from the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta). Differentiation. 87(1-2):4-22. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S030146811300087X?via%3Dihub Frank LG (1997) Evolution of genital masculinization: why do female hyenas have such a large 'penis'? Trends Ecol. Evol. 12:58-62. http://www.cell.com/trends/ecology-evolution/abstract/S0169-5347(96)10063-X Frank LG and Glickman SE (1994) Giving birth through a penile clitoris: parturition and dystocia in the spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta). J. Zool. 234:659–665. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1469-7998.1994.tb04871.x/abstract Frank LG, Weldele ML, and Glickman SE (1995) Masculinization costs in hyaenas. Nature 377:584–585. http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v377/n6550/abs/377584b0.html?foxtrotcallback=true Glickman SE, Cunha GR, Drea CM, Conley AJ and Place NJ (2006) Mammalian sexual differentiation: lessons from the spotted hyena. rends in Endocrinology and Metabolism 17 (9): 349–356. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043276006001767 Holekamp, KE, personal communication. August and September 2017. Muller MN and Wrangham R (2002) Sexual Mimicry in Hyenas. The Quarterly Review of Biology 77 (1):3-16. http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/339199?journalCode=qrb