The Twin Clitorises
Female snakes have paired clitorises called hemiclitores — scientists had confused them with scent glands for years.
A 2022 study finally confirmed what snake anatomy had been hiding in plain sight: female snakes have two clitorises.
These structures, called hemiclitores (analogous to male hemipenes), were first properly described after researchers examined nine snake species. For years, scientists had confused them with scent glands.
The hemiclitores contain: - Erectile tissue that can engorge with blood - Dense nerve bundles suggesting sensory function - A distinct structure from nearby scent glands
Notably, they lack the spines and hooks found on male hemipenes. This supports the idea that they serve a sensory rather than grasping function.
Why did it take so long to identify them? The study's authors point to historical bias in anatomical research: - Male genitalia are studied extensively for species identification - Female genitalia are often ignored or assumed to be "passive" - Assumptions about female anatomy weren't questioned
The discovery has implications for understanding snake mating: - Suggests females may experience sensory feedback during copulation - Could explain some previously puzzling mating behaviors - Opens questions about clitoral function across all reptiles
Female snakes' hemiclitores represent just one example of how female genital anatomy across species remains largely unexplored and misunderstood.