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Original Article
The erection mechanism of the ratite penis
Article first published online: 2 DEC 2011
DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2011.00858.x
© 2011 The Authors. Journal of Zoology © 2011 The Zoological Society of London
Additional Information
How to Cite
Brennan, P. L. R., Prum, R. O. (2012), The erection mechanism of the ratite penis. Journal of Zoology, 286: 140–144. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2011.00858.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 25 JAN 2012
- Article first published online: 2 DEC 2011
- Manuscript Accepted: 28 JUL 2011
- Manuscript Revised: 25 JUL 2011
- Manuscript Received: 24 MAY 2011
Funded by
- National Science Foundation. Grant Number: 920344
- Yale University
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- genital evolution;
- penis morphology;
- lymphatic erection
Abstract
The erection mechanism of the penis in most vertebrates is blood vascular. A major evolutionary transition occurred in birds, where the erection mechanism changed from blood vascular to lymphatic. Within birds, however, the erection mechanism of the ratite penis has remained unknown. Early work suggested that the erection mechanism in ostrich Struthio camelus was blood vascular while no description existed for the emu Dromaius novaehollandiae or the rhea Rhea americana. Because the penis in all other described birds has a lymphatic erection mechanism, clarifying that the erection mechanism of ratites is of great importance to understanding one of the major evolutionary transitions of penis morphology within amniotes. Here, we show that the erection mechanism of ratites is lymphatic, confirming that the evolutionary transition to lymphatic erection occurred in the last common ancestor of Aves.