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kurt_go_bang t1_j6qu8m7 wrote

I’m 45 and well read.

Never heard the word quoll before this post.

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Woodie626 t1_j6qz3qc wrote

Surly you've heard of the Vole? They rhyme with Quoll, and the males seem to die in the same manner.

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kurt_go_bang t1_j6r1409 wrote

I have heard of a vole. Always assumed it was similar to a mole. But not the quoll.

I do see the rhyming here though…..

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Xrafice t1_j6tmda8 wrote

Anybody else find this discussion of voles, moles and quolls to be taking a toll?

Let's take a poll, do you think it's droll?

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BigJimBeef t1_j6r7k6e wrote

They are common in my area but I'd say they are not internationally recognized.

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DavefromKS t1_j6v8qmp wrote

I honestly thought it said gnolls and was confused and ready to roll initiative.

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xMercurex t1_j6rvbrc wrote

Letting the male die is often a efficient strategy for the species. Female are left with more food.

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Billbat1 t1_j6sur9z wrote

males are less important for the survival of a species. 1 male can mate with 10 females. but not the other way round.

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StormlitRadiance t1_j6sxoar wrote

Males are less important. You can lose one male and it has no impact on the next generation, because it's easy for the other males pick up the slack.

If one female dies, that's a whole litter of pups that are missing from the next generation.

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TacTurtle t1_j6ta1l4 wrote

Are litters weighed more heavily towards majority females?

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ChemicalRain5513 t1_j6sypga wrote

Some people think that because of this it is morally worse if women die than men. E.g. when Russia commits terrorist attacks in Ukraine, it is stressed more if women died in the attack.

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Billbat1 t1_j6t2v7a wrote

one of the reasons women arent allowed to fight on the frontlines in a lot of armies is because men are affected more by women get hurt or killed. the stronger emotions is probably an evolutionary trait to protect women above men. its the same reason why women were prioritized over men when the titanic was sinking. theres a lot of scenarios were men have an advantage, when it comes to life and death it seems that womens safety is prioritized.

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Robot_Basilisk t1_j6u7r7e wrote

The irony being much of Russia's modern problems likely stem from the generations of kids raised without a father because up to 80 or 90% of men in a generation died in WW2.

The 10-20% that lived were often unfit to serve in one way or another, or con men. And Russian women had to compete for them. Then they had to raise their sons with few men around to help or be good role models.

The American Baby Boom saw the Nuclear Family flourish.

The Russian Baby Boom was considerably more depressing.

Both fell prey to Cold War propaganda.

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tanglekelp t1_j6u3v8s wrote

I’ve also heard that the ‘women and children first’ thing is because men are usually physically stronger and bigger so women and children wouldn’t have a chance to get to the lifeboats when everyone is scrambling to save themselves

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Incredulouslaughter t1_j6vo0dv wrote

Yeah and without women and children first, some men would just push past smaller, more vulnerable people. Like women and children.

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clifbarczar t1_j6tryyu wrote

This is also the reasoning some people use to bemoan female promiscuity while defending male promiscuity.

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ChemicalRain5513 t1_j6tsjci wrote

Which, even it biologically makes sense, is hypocritical. Can't have one without the other.

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Robot_Basilisk t1_j6u7yyn wrote

You certainly can. Most apes are polygynous, not polygamous or monogamous. One male bullies the rest and has more access to partners than anyone else. Most human groups in history have shown this tendency.

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Wafflotron t1_j6ucp5q wrote

Well, not if they mate themselves to death. But man, what a way to go

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crysco t1_j6ttpjv wrote

Hence why women and children are saved first.

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drchris498 t1_j6vcqvj wrote

I think it's more of a way for males to maximise thier reproductive output

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gothicgirl555 t1_j6svcuy wrote

Here for a good time not a long time

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rugbat t1_j6r88wo wrote

They got nothing on the antichinus. All their males die every mating season. They root and root until their immune systems collapse. Marsupial rats for non-australians. The original "root rats".

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Defenestratio t1_j6so2jb wrote

That joke unfortunately falls flat on the yanks, they don't have the same connotation of "rooting". There's a plumbing business called roto rooters in the states, gives me a good chuckle every time I see once of their trucks. Along with the "coït cleaners" from SF

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SSLByron t1_j6thgrw wrote

Hey now, country folk here are quite familiar with the notion of rootin' around.

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Toodlesxp t1_j6u0ohi wrote

I think it's very telling that they die because their immune systems collapse. Maybe it is that way with humans, too.

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drchris498 t1_j6vcv92 wrote

It's the same for this species, all males die each season

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[deleted] t1_j6qv9x2 wrote

[removed]

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RoboSt1960 t1_j6s6409 wrote

This reminds of “How’s the Night Life on Cissalda?” by Harlan Ellison. An alien race arrives on Earth and sexes people to death.

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4ucklehead t1_j6sc0aq wrote

They're just living their harem nirvana while on earth

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StarfleetGo t1_j6tc9r7 wrote

Death by snu snu??

We honor these brave lads...

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OlyScott t1_j6sa024 wrote

Do they know if this is new for the males? It may have always been this way for this species.

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Neat_Art9336 t1_j6utmgg wrote

Doesn’t sound new, just newly researched. They said “usually”.

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DeadHED t1_j6uqnj1 wrote

I was like this in college, I turned out ok.

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drchris498 t1_j6vck2b wrote

I'm one of the authors on this paper, let me know if you have any questions! It's been amazing seeing the response this paper has gotten.

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VeryNearlyAnArmful t1_j6wickb wrote

Are we just finding out about an existing behaviour or has something changed in their environment to bring it on?

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drchris498 t1_j6wp4h9 wrote

This is a natural behaviour. What we didn't know was why the males were actually dying. Scientists thought it could be excess stress hormones, but the levels were not elevated in this species. We decided to record their movement behaviour and found this lack of sleep. Given their symptoms we think this is what kills them.

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funguyjones t1_j6umtk2 wrote

At least they died doing what they love.

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funguyjones t1_j6umrgm wrote

They don't know if they are coming or going

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Cultural_Tie9002 t1_j6vbx6l wrote

Time for a quote!!!

​

"FCK THEM ALL TO DEATH!!!"

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Inconspicuous_prime8 t1_j6xcewj wrote

Sounds like the Tom cat in my neighborhood. Literally fighting and f***ing himself to death.

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SmashDreadnot t1_j6xmk41 wrote

Is it possible to learn this power?

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cbrrydrz t1_j6s78n3 wrote

Maybe they can sense their dwindling numbers and are trying to repopulate as quickly as possible. Sacrificing themselves for preservation of the group.

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