Existing just to have sex is a solid evolutionary strategy
The humble antechinus has been in the new recently because, well,it has so much sex that it dies.This is not an evolutionary flaw.it is in fact,a feature of the species.
Male antechinus (antechinii?antechinus)spend half their living having sex for 14hours a d14hours a day.And its not leisurely, loving sex.its frantic oh-my-god-i-must-ejaculate-as-quickly-as-possible kind of sex.The kind of sex that rapidly depletes their limited supply of sperm and causes their bodies to literally fall apart. They llose their tur.TheThey bleed internallyinternally.The die before they hit their first bodybody.
And so in honor of the antechinus tragic death, we give you a small sampling of the many creatures that exist on the earth only to reproduce and die.There actually a technical name for them:semelparus animalanimals.They have just one chance to reproduce-usually meaning one mating season, but occasionally meaning one act of sex-the die.
If this seems like an add strategy consider the fact that semelparous creatures often produce more offspring. Sure they die afterwards, but because there are not concerned with survival after the mating season they can quite literally put all of their energy and resources into finding a male. Its a risk that pays off (at least on a species wide level).still there are few mammals or even vertebrates that use this tactics, probably because the opportunity to reproduce year after year.is with developing the biological fortitude to survive your mating ritual.