Finally, Scientists Find the Clitoris (of Snakes)

Researchers at the University of Adelaide have at long last discovered the female snake clitoris,  which was long believed to not exist. The findings are published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 

“Across the animal kingdom female genitalia are overlooked in comparison to their male counterparts,” lead author Megan Folwell said in a university news release. “Our study counters the long-standing assumption that the clitoris … is either absent or non-functional in snakes.”

The researchers examined the bifurcated clitoris – called hemiclitores – in nine species of adult snake specimens found around the world, including the death adder, Guatemalan milk snake, and Pygmy mulga snake. It’s not as if the snake clitoris is microscopic. The cantil viper, for example, sports a hemiclitores that’s 1.2 inches long and 0.7 inches wide. 

Were these sex organs hiding in plain sight this whole time?

The discovery challenges a long-held belief that snake copulation, a slithering wrestling match that looks aggressively one-sided, is an act of sexual assault. “Now we can consider whether mating in snakes is not about coercion but instead about stimulation and seduction,” said Folwell. “Maybe there is something the males are doing that makes the females more inclined to participate.”

The description of snake bits at this late date exposes the longstanding bias in biology in which female sexual anatomy has been largely ignored. This could be a remnant of Victorian sensibilities and (or) the longtime lack of women in the field. “We are proud to contribute this research, particularly as female genitalia across every species is unfortunately still taboo,” said Folwell.

Photo credit: Scott Eipper