Scientists discover giant sperm fossilized in bat guano...

[TreasonousBastard]

http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/47396

In a cave in Australia, researchers from the University of New South Wales discovered giant fossilized sperm. The sperm were produced 17 million years ago by a group of tiny, shelled crustaceans called ostracods, making them the oldest fossilized sperm ever found. The results were published recently in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

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Sperm size varies with each species, with ostracods producing some of the largest sperm relative to body size of any animal. However, the current record-holder for largest sperm goes to Drosophila bifurca, a species of fruit fly, whose sperm can be up to 5.8 centimeters (2.3 inches) long. In contrast, humans have some of the smallest sperm, at 0.004 centimeters (0.002 inches).

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"The Riversleigh fossil deposits in remote northwestern Queensland have been the site of the discovery of many extraordinary prehistoric Australian animals, such as giant, toothed platypuses and flesh-eating kangaroos. So we have become used to delightfully unexpected surprises in what turns up there," said co-author Mike Archer.

Pictures at link.

[intaglio]

1. You might describe this as crazy

Maybe even bat-sh*t insane

[Xipe Totec]

2. What are you doing with my junk?

[Blue Owl]

3. Michele Bachmann is now expecting

n/t