Quick Q&A: Is there an animal with a penis on its head?

Just asking for a friend…


Asked by: Jason Goodyer, Bristol

Yes. The males of the Phallostethidae family of fish, which live in rivers in Southeast Asia, have a sex organ positioned under their chin, just behind their mouth. It consists of a rod for injecting sperm and a separate serrated hook for holding on to the female’s head, which guarantees no sperm gets lost in the strong river currents.

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