Echidnas baffle scientists with the 'weirdest penises' in the animal kingdom – and you'll NEVER guess what they look like
- 'Very strange and unusual' echidna penis has four heads and is a third of its size
- Found across Australia, the phallus is bright red and all heads can ejaculate
- An echidna expert said only 'creator God' understands the 'very long' organ
- Females may have sex with a dozen males multiple times while ovulating
- WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT WARNING
The 'very strange and unusual' echidna penis remains a mystery to researchers who still don't understand why it has four heads.
The 'very long' phallus makes up a third of the mammal's body while erect, is bright red and has four endings, which can all be used for reproduction.
University of Queensland researcher Dr Steve Johnston co-authored a study on the short-beaked echidna's impressive member, but said only 'the creator God' knows why it is so bizarrely shaped.
It may be to please the insatiable female echidna, who scientists believe may mate with up to a dozen males while ovulating.
The echidna is native to Australia, has spiky pines, a bird-like beak, a pouch like a kangaroo and also lays eggs.
The 'very strange and unusual' echidna penis remains a mystery to researchers who still don't understand why it has four heads
When the echidna has sex, two of the four prongs are engorged while the others are flaccid.
The female has two separate reproductive tracts which take a penis head each during sex.
It is possible she could mate with up to a dozen partners while ovulating, as scientists have found sperm from eleven different males inside one deceased female echidna.
Researchers also predicted the pair may have intercourse multiple times, possibly using all prongs in the course of a mating session.
'It does look like they do it more than once, but there's still a bit of debate... we're not quite sure whether these guys are induced ovulators or not,' Dr Johnston said.
'Not only is the [echidna] penis strange in the way it looks, it's also strange in terms of they don't actually urinate through their penis,' said Dr Johnston.
'[This is unlike] all other species of mammals expect for the platypus and the other species of echidna. These animals urinate not through their penis, but at the base of the penis.'
Researchers want to understand the short-beaked echidna reproductive system to help breed the critically endangered species, which is found in Papua New Guinea.
Dr Johnston said the echidna, a spiny animal akin to the hedgehog and porcupine, remains a poorly understood species, despite being widespread in Australia.
'They're very common. You'll find echidnas nearly all over Australia, across Mt Kosciuszko right through to the desert, on the coastline, even here in suburban Brisbane,' he said.
The 'very long' phallus makes up a third of the mammal's body while erect, is bright red and has four prongs which can all ejaculate
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