this post was submitted on 09 Apr 2026
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Science Memes

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Birthing pains (infosec.pub)
submitted 1 week ago by Track_Shovel@slrpnk.net to c/science_memes@mander.xyz
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[–] Usernamealreadyinuse@lemmy.world 81 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Of the three hyena species, the spotted hyena, Crocuta crocuta is the only one to have a pseudo penis.

It has the most challenging birthing process, and unlike the brown hyena and striped hyena, it gives birth to young who have open eyes.

After an average of 110 days of gestation, the spotted hyena mother gives birth to between two and four cubs. The 1-1.5 kg cubs arrive through a 1.54 cm (1 inch) wide birth canal.

The birth canal resembles the genitalia of male hyenas. It is, in fact, the female hyena’s clitoris.

Dude

[–] Jolteon@lemmy.zip 25 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I have a hard time imagining how such a thing could evolve. Making reproduction more difficult is literally the opposite of what it does, so it had to have been somehow worse to begin with.

[–] Quibblekrust@thelemmy.club 23 points 1 week ago

I dunno, ducks have maze-like vaginas to avoid pregnancy from rape. Evolution optimizes for the survival of the species, not for reproducing some maximum possible amount. Perhaps they evolved when limiting reproduction wad a benefit to the species.

[–] shneancy@lemmy.world 7 points 1 week ago

i mean, birth isn't exactly a fun experience for humans, and yet, there's quite a few of us here

[–] SlurpingPus@lemmy.world 15 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Hate to break it to yall, but 1.54 cm is not 1 inch.

[–] psud@aussie.zone 1 points 5 days ago

It's exactly 1cm short, oddly wrong

[–] idiomaddict@lemmy.world 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I was aware of much of that, but somehow never considered that other cats have multiple births, so hyenas probably do too…

[–] HonoraryMancunian@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

But hyenas are dogs, right? Right?!

[–] MML@sh.itjust.works 16 points 1 week ago (1 children)

No they're hyenas, they're closer genetically to cats but morphologically to dogs, I think I'm using the right words...

[–] psud@aussie.zone 1 points 5 days ago

You are likely right. Dog shaped but cat related