Mating

From ArticleWorld

Mating is the process whereby a species is perpetuated. In most animals, it involves copulation and inseminating of the female by the male member of the species. In some lower animal forms, the mating process involves a single member of the species, such as an earthworm, that contains both male and female sexual organs together in a single worm.

Mammalian Species

Mammals, like many other animals, have specific mating rituals or carry gender-related characteristics that help promote the mating process and make the male and female genders attract one another. In humans, there are social rituals, rites and behaviors that are a part of finding and attracting a mate. No one really knows exactly how this attraction occurs, especially in humans. Some scientists have suggested that “pheromones” or hormones released by a given gender to attract the other gender are part of what creates the desire to mate.

When the attraction occurs and a couple decides to mate, there needs to be an act of copulation or, in humans, sexual intercourse. When sexual intercourse is done for this purpose and is successful, the male inseminates the female ovum with male sperm cell and a zygote is created. Depending on the species, one or several zygotes are made which subsequently grow to become the offspring. In mammals, the female is responsible for nursing the young through mammary glands and often is solely responsible for raising the young. In animal species, including humans, that are social, both parents help raise the young.

Some animal species mate in a random fashion with no ongoing bond between the mating partners, while others mate with only one other member until a member dies. In those who mate solely with one other member of their species, the concept of mating involves more than just the act of intercourse but rather a partnership between the members of the couple. This couple will engage in the act of intercourse frequently and in some species, raise several offspring or litters of offspring.

Other Animals

With the exception of hermaphroditic animals, who carry both male and female reproductive organs and can reproduce the species singly, all other animals are either male or female. In non-mammalian species, there can be a social component to the mating and there can be specific mating rituals, often exclusive to the species.

Some form of copulation occurs in these animals and insemination of eggs occurs. In some species, the mating process involves eggs that are then laid externally by the female, incubated in some way and the offspring hatch external to the female. In some cases, such as in the turtle, the fertilized eggs created in the process of mating are incubated in a cluster without the attendance of either parent. The resulting offspring hatch and are then on their own.