Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society Sex Lives of Dinosaurs
Jan 24, 2025
In a delightful chat with Dr. David Hone, an expert in dinosaur behavior and author, listeners dive into the wild world of dinosaur romance. They explore how T-Rex might have fared despite its tiny arms and the curious mechanics of mating among these massive creatures. Dr. Hone also sheds light on potential mating rituals, the significance of fossilized footprints, and the intriguing question of dinosaur monogamy. With humor and scientific insight, this conversation unearths the complexities of prehistoric procreation.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Dinosaurs Spanned Vast Time And Diversity
- Non-avian dinosaurs span ~180 million years and include many distinct faunas across time and space.
- Birds are living dinosaurs, but the episode focuses on classic non-avian dinosaurs like T. rex and Triceratops.
Internal Fertilization Was Likely Universal
- Dinosaurs almost certainly used internal fertilization like other amniotes, so mating required close contact.
- Evidence for asexual reproduction exists in a few related groups, so some dinosaurs might have been facultatively asexual.
Soft Tissues Rarely Preserve Genital Clues
- Soft tissues like penises rarely fossilize, so large genitalia in some species remains speculative.
- Osteological correlates can hint at soft anatomy but often cannot confirm reproductive organs.
