11 Interesting And Horrific Animal Mating Rituals

Snail Darts

Snail mating can be very involved because most snails are hermaphrodites, meaning they have both female and male sex organs. There is a hole that serves as an entryway to both sets of sex organs. Snails set the scene by moving around each other in a circle and delicately touching each other using their tentacles. It all seems very romantic until the next stage where they begin shooting each other with pointy calcium structures. The darts help bring the two snails together, but they can also prove to be fatal since it's possible for the darts to pierce the internal organs of the snails. Since most snails are hermaphrodites, both snails may be able to transfer sperm. Both snails may release the sperm or one snail may do it all.