"Sleepless and Sex-Obsessed: The Short Lives of Tiny Male Marsupials"
TL;DR Summary
Male antechinus, a type of marsupial, sacrifice sleep during their short and intense breeding season to maximize mating opportunities, with some dying shortly after. Research found that captive males slept significantly less during breeding season, and wild males and females showed decreased oxalic acid levels, indicating sleep deprivation. While sleep loss was initially suspected as the cause of death, further investigation is needed to determine the exact cause, with malnutrition and environmental triggers being potential factors.
- This fast-living marsupial chooses sex over sleep — and dies young Nature.com
- These small male marsupials give up sleep for sex, then die after intense mating season, study finds CNN
- The Sex-Obsessed Marsupials That Will Sleep When They're Dead The New York Times
- This Tiny Marsupial Gives Up Sleep for Sex, Then Drops Dead Scientific American
- Tiny male marsupials sacrifice sleep for a chance at sex — then all die at once and get eaten Livescience.com
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