Scientists may have finally found out how serotine bats reproduced, and it may be the first mammal to have such a reproductive process. Since bats are nocturnal, it's very difficult to observe their mating behavior especially since they would most often have their backs turned from their observers. But, with new footage taken by a Dutch bat enthusiast, researchers now have visual evidence of what exactly goes on when bats have their backs turned.
According to a new paper published in the journal Current Biology, serotine bats reproduce through touching, or something akin to the "cloacal kiss". In short, no penetration occurs during the process. And the researchers reasoned that this may be due to the structure of the bats' genitalia.
Despite now having footage of the bats' mating behavior, there is still no definitive proof of how the sperm transfers from the male to the female bats, but it provides scientists new avenues for further research on the matter.
With this information, researchers may now have the means of devising strategies on how to artificially inseminate bats or even help in understanding human infertility.
(Image credit: Denley Photography/Unsplash)