The video shows a male nematode of the species Caenorhabditis elegans preparing to copulate with a hermaphrodite. There is no cheesy bass flute accompaniment. Honest.

If you don’t see the video embedded above, click here.

Scientists’ commentary…

“He presses the front side of his tail against the hermaphrodite while he backs along and searches for the vulva. If not found along this first side, the tail makes a sharp turn, curling round the end of the hermaphrodite to continue searching on the other side. On finding the vulva, the male inserts his spicules and mating commences.”

Further reading

Allyson J Whittaker & Paul W Sternberg, “Coordination of opposing sex-specific and core muscle groups regulates male tail posture during Caenorhabditis elegans male mating behavior”, BMC Biology 7, 33 (2009)