"This promiscuous species of squid pays a dear price for an insatiable sex-drive. After three hours of lovemaking, southern dumpling squid are so exhausted that their ability to avoid predators and forage for food is sorely reduced. An ability to blend into their surroundings helps them survive this post-coital lapse - but only to some extent.
However, their methods aren't always effective. Most dumpling squid only manage to survive for less than a year, which the researchers believe might be a direct result of their risky, sex-filled lifestyle."
Zoologist Amanda Franklin led the study published in Biology Letters (DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2012.0556).
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