In this episode, we consider a creature we often don’t think much about—the snail. And not just snails, but their sex lives. Which, as it turns out, is epic. There is persuasion and subterfuge, spaghetti penises and co-copulation. And this very surprising habit—erm kink—of making tiny arrows (actually!) and stabbing each other with them. Known as a “love dart,” these limestone daggers aren’t just a strange trick of nature—they have a deep evolutionary purpose. 
Special thanks to Menno Schilthuizen and Aaron Chase.EPISODE CREDITS: 
 Hosted by - Molly Webster
 Reported by - Molly Webster
 Produced by - Mona Madgavkar, Annie McEwen, Molly Webster
 Sound design contributed by - Mona Madgavkar, Annie McEwen
 Fact-checking by - Diane A. Kelly
 and Edited by  - Alex Neason
EPISODE CITATIONS:
 Videos -  <a href="https://www.facebook.com/WilSnail/videos/love-dart-being-placed/1017353415760769/" rel="noopener noreferrer">A love dart being DARTED!</a> (<a href="https://zpr.io/rYhLwXhaxQQP" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://zpr.io/rYhLwXhaxQQP</a>)  – Molly has watched this video so many times
 Articles - 
<ul>
 <li><a href="http://www.jkoene.dds.nl/publications/Koene_&_Chase_1998b.pdf" rel="noopener noreferrer">Changes in the reproductive system of the snail Helix aspersa caused by mucus from the love dart.</a> (<a href="https://zpr.io/xxjuCcTyiVJV" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://zpr.io/xxjuCcTyiVJV</a>) by Koene JM, Chase R. J Exp Biol.</li>
 <li><a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1560308/" rel="noopener noreferrer">The snail's love-dart delivers mucus to increase paternity.</a> By Chase R, Blanchard KC. Proc Biol Sci.</li>
 <li><a href="https://blogs.biomedcentral.com/bmcseriesblog/2016/05/13/love-dart-heart-sexual-conflict-snails/" rel="noopener noreferrer">A love-dart at the heart of sexual conflict in snails</a> (<a href="https://zpr.io/X2ANHPaEg5sr" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://zpr.io/X2ANHPaEg5sr</a>)  by Foote C 
 ** This article has an image of eight different love darts, and it’s what Molly shows to Soren in the episode (this image is one of her favorite research finds!) </li>
</ul>
Books - 
 “<a href="https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/313172/natures-nether-regions-by-menno-schilthuizen/" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nature’s Nether Regions: What the Sex Lives of Bugs, Birds, and Beasts Tell Us About Evolution, Biodiversity, and Ourselves</a>” (<a href="https://zpr.io/ktMvJbZciCdD" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://zpr.io/ktMvJbZciCdD</a>)  by evolutionary biologist Menno Schilthuizen.
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