The shape of our heart

Large Red Damsel copula

Today is Valentines Day, the day of love. With love people often think about hearts. But where does that heart shape come from? Definitely not from the shape of our own heart, that’s just a lump of muscle without much distinctive shape. So what are the alternatives? One option is the shape made by two swans with their neck when they face each other.. Another option is the shape of a copula damselflies. During mating the male grabs the female just behind the head, while the female presses her genitals to the secondary genitals of the male. After mating, most males keep hold of their females, making sure she can’t mate with another male, making sure her offspring is his. After the deposition of the eggs they let go and go each way again.

Arjen Drost

Arjen is a Polar ecologist, nature photographer and full time expedition guide on expedition cruise ships in both Polar regions. With his pictures and stories he likes to show the beauty of these very fragile and threatened places.

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