BS: Big balls, small brain

Subject: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Wolfgang
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 04:41 AM

I have hesitated a bit for this item of news could arguably be posted under 'folklore' for at least for Germany what these scientists have found out for bats is already a part of our folk-lore about humans:

Mating system and brain size in bats

There is a negative evolutionary relationship between investment in testes and investment in brains

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: gnu
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 05:57 AM

Didn't reall know where to go after I clicked the link. Maybe I am just now awake yet... more tea perhaps.

Anyway, I assume that the ability to mate is related to the size of one's bat? (Sorry, couldn't resist.)

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Lanfranc
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 06:51 AM

And what do bats do in winter?

If you don't oil them, they split! ("Jennings & Derbyshire" by Anthony Buckeridge)

Alan

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Paul Burke
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 06:56 AM

the real link

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Mr Red
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 07:42 AM

I heard the wren desribed as "flying gonads" because the 50% of the bird is 100% testosterone.

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 07:44 AM

Bobert?

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Rapparee
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 09:21 AM

GUESTS?

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 10:56 AM

Yeah, probably both.

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Wolfgang
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 11:07 AM

Thanks, Paul.

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: robomatic
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 02:11 PM

From the Album "Fifty Eggs"

Dan Bern - Tiger Woods

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Bill D
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 09:39 PM

the 'real link'???

Wolfgang's link wanted me to register...Paul's gave me this: (I think I shall be content with the concept Wolfgang elucidated..*grin*)

"Function of a key morphological innovation: fusion of the cichlid pharyngeal jaw

C. Darrin Hulsey A1

A1 University of California Center for Population Biology Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616 USA

Abstract:

The pharyngeal jaw of cichlids may represent a key innovation that facilitated their unparalleled trophic divergence. In cichlids, 'fusion' of the lower pharyngeal jaw (LPJ) results from suturing between the two lower ceratobranchials. To examine, what novel abilities a more extensively fused pharyngeal jaw may confer, the function of LPJ suturing was examined in Heroine cichlids. Greater LPJ suturing, pharyngeal jaw splitting under compression and the forces used to crush molluscs in the wild suggest increased LPJ fusion in the trophically polymorphic Herichthys minckleyi operates to strengthen the pharyngeal jaw. Among Heroine cichlid species, the presence of an external LPJ suture and feeding specialization on molluscs was evolutionarily quite variable, but greater LPJ fusion estimated from the amount of external suturing was highly correlated with molluscivory. Throughout cichlid diversification, increased pharyngeal jaw fusion via suturing has likely helped to reinforce the LPJ during pharyngeal processing thereby facilitating the ability of cichlids to exploit durable prey."

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: dianavan
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 12:33 AM

Does that mean I should or shouldn't open those oysters with my teeth?

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Wolfgang
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 11:17 AM

It seems I am allowed to see what you cannot see without registration. So the least I can do for you is to copy and paste the abstract so you get an idea what I was talking about:

Mating system and brain size in bats

Scott Pitnick, Kate E. Jones, Gerald S. Wilkinson

Abstract:

The contribution of sexual selection to brain evolution has been little investigated. Through comparative analyses of bats, we show that multiple mating by males, in the absence of multiple mating by females, has no evolutionary impact on relative brain dimension. In contrast, bat species with promiscuous females have relatively smaller brains than do species with females exhibiting mate fidelity. This pattern may be a consequence of the demonstrated negative evolutionary relationship between investment in testes and investment in brains, both metabolically expensive tissues. These results have implications for understanding the correlated evolution of brains, behaviour and extravagant sexually selected traits.

(italics are mine)

So we now know that the females of our species when saying No to too early advances only want us to get a bit smarter, don't we?
Or do we know that only the smart men know how to deal with an initial No?

Wolfgang

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: *daylia*
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 11:47 AM

Don't know about bats, but years ago, my kids kept a few hooded rats, like this one.

Notice his balls, if you will. Well, my kid's rats eventually grew balls about 4 times that size. No kidding.

It was absolutely disgusting, really. The boys liked to carry them around on their shoulders, or the visor of their baseball caps. When the stupid things (and yes I do mean *STUPID* - those creatures would eat anything, including paper and plastic and scouring pads) would face the 'wrong way', all you'd see was these humungous pink testes ballooning out on either side of the loooong naked creepy-looking tail.

At one point I tried to design a little diaper for them, for modesty's sake   ;-)

WHat I'm wondering is - if we hadn't kept thier cage so close to our one and only female rat, no doubt driving them NUTS (in a VERY BIG way) with the scent of something they couldn't get at - would their balls have grown so large? Would they have been spared the urge to chomp down everything in sight, edible or no?

Hey, does anyone here really give a rat's ass either way?

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Donuel
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 12:24 PM

This is indeed bad news. As the proud owner of three testicles, albeit of normal size, and with a cranium size which ranks with only 7% of the general population having smaller heads, it seems that this scientific relationship between balls and brains rings true.

I don't know how I ended up with 3 unless I absorbed only certain parts of a conjoined but diminuative twin.

On the other hand if Lance Armstrong needs an organ donor, I have a spare.

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Ebbie
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 12:43 PM

What about swine? I think they are considered among the 'smartest' but they seem disproportionally large.

Question: Where is the whale's scrotum?

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Little Hawk
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 01:20 PM

You oughta write a book, Daylia... ;-)

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Bill D
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 01:51 PM

about them rats....if male rats were producing sperm constantly, by being near females, and NOT being allowed to mate, perhaps the result was similar to the human problem called Spermaocele, in which something like a blocked sperm duct may cause a swelling. In which case, I commiserate.

In any case, I would not like to run a marathon or do trampoline exercises with the problem.

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Cluin
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 03:59 PM

Everybody's smilin'; you can't find a frown
The girls are all happy, `cause the Big Boy's in town
That's right
Big Ball's in Cowtown; we'll all go down
Big Ball's in Cowtown; we'll dance around

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: GUEST,me
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 09:39 AM

wicked love this post my fella has huge big balls and yes a small brain.....................................................
aaaaaaaaaaggggggaghhhh

;)

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Amos
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 10:02 AM

Sperm competition is a widespread phenomenon influencing the evolution of male anatomy, physiology and behaviour. Bats are an ideal group for studying sperm competition. Females store fertile sperm for up to 200 days and the size of social groups varies from single animals to groups of hundreds of thousands. This study examines the relationship between social group size and investment in spermatogenesis across 31 species of microchiropteran bat using new and published data on testis mass and sperm length. In addition to male competition, I examined the effects of female reproductive biology on characteristics of spermatogenesis.

Comparative studies indicate that relative testis mass is positively related to sperm competition risk in a wide range of taxa. Social group size may also influence the level of sperm competition, and one of the costs of living in groups may be decreased confidence of paternity. I used comparative analysis of independent contrast (CAIC) to control for phylogeny. Using two possible phylogenies and two measures of social group size, I found a significant positive relationship between social group size and testis mass. There was no relationship between testis mass and the dimension of the female reproductive tract or oestrus duration. Sperm length was not significantly related to body mass or group size, nor was it related to oestrus duration.

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 10:20 AM

Time for your Med's Mr J.

XG

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: frogprince
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 11:07 AM

Donuel may not be the craziest guy on the 'cat, but chances are he's the nuttiest.

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Ed T
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 11:31 AM

Is there a similar study on women?

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Michael
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 11:42 AM

Ed T, do you mean women with small brains go for men with big balls?

Mike

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Ed T
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 11:58 AM

Not really Mike, but is it actually true:)

I mean are there similar female private parts/brain studies to draw information from?

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Ed T
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 12:05 PM

A 2005 study, but interesting:

http://www.corporateknights.ca/magazine-issues/46-2005-air-issue/110-private-parts.html

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Charley Noble
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 12:12 PM

If all the young women were bats in a steeple,
If all the young women were bats in a steeple,
If all the young women were bats in a steeple,
And if I was a bat there would be more bats than people.

And another song that's suggested by this thread discussion is the ballad of "Anthony Claire" who was famous for juggling large balls, balls as heavy as lead!

Cheerily,
Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Ernest
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 02:18 PM

Wolfgang, as far as I understand the excerpt you provided there is no connection between brain and ball size with male bats.

It does say that female bats with small brains are more promiscous than female bats with bigger brains.

Could it be that small-brained bats are promiscous because they are not able to recognize partners (bats live in large groups and don`t look that different from one another after all - especially in the dark)?

Does the article say anything about the colour of the small-brained female bats fur?

And does anybody know how promiscous BATWOMAN is and what that means regarding BATMAN?????????

;0)
Ernest

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Charley Noble
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 08:00 PM

"Females exhibiting mate fidelity" may need their larger brains to rationalize why they are being faithful. However, it's unclear to me from the research whether their is any significant correlation between survival of the species and brain size or with mate fidelity.

Charley Noble

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Bat Goddess
Date: 30 Sep 08 - 09:23 PM

Bat Goddess chooses not to comment.

(Except for a quotation that has nothing to do with balls or brain size -- "it's no the length that maks me loop / but it's the double drivin' ")

Linn

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Donuel
Date: 01 Oct 08 - 07:18 AM

Humans with small brains often are genius. The wiring seems to be more direct

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 01 Oct 08 - 09:54 AM

'I heard the wren desribed as "flying gonads" because the 50% of the bird is 100% testosterone.'

I knew a folksinger whose act was complete bollocks.

Subject: RE: BS: Big balls, small brain
From: CamiSu
Date: 01 Oct 08 - 10:31 PM

My (late) ram had testes that were MUCH larger than his brain. He certainly acted accordingly--tried to kill me while I was feeding the flock. Bloody near succeeded. And no fidelity there whatsoever.