Female rough periwinkle sea snails ‘cover their tracks’ to avoid running – albeit very slowly – into too many amorous males.

Female sea snails ‘cover their tracks’ to avoid too many amorous males (Pic: PA)

Other species’ females excrete a substance in their mucous that allows males to follow them easily but rough periwinkles leave a ‘male’ trail because too much mating can be harmful to them.

The trick allows them to ‘survive during the period they are carrying offspring’, say scientists in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Researchers wrote that a sex-specific ‘mucous cue is absent in female L. saxatilis.’


‘They have either permanently lost this cue or have the ability to optionally remove the cue.’

‘Adding to the number of lifetime matings is their only way to increase lifetime fitness,’ the researchers continued.

‘Hence males would be prepared to take larger risk compared to females and strive to mate as frequently as possible despite these costs.’