[ **up: [[Penises]] | [[Snakes]] | [[Questions]]** ] --- # Do snakes really have two penises? *tl;dr they do, but oh wow fandom has been sleeping on the gnarly design options. Also, female snakes are likewise dual-wielding clits. [[2023-0629. The two penises of squamates (snakes and lizards) are called hemipenes; individually, each is a hemipenis.|The two penises of squamates (snakes and lizards) are called hemipenes; individually, each is a hemipenis.]][^1] [[“Hemipenes are one of the shared derived characters of squamates (snakes and lizards), distinguishing them from other reptiles”.|'Hemipenes are one of the shared derived characters of squamates (snakes and lizards), distinguishing them from other reptiles (tuataras, turtles, crocodilians, and birds) ...']][^1] [[2023-0629. In squamates, each hemipenis is associated with a single testis.|In squamates, each hemipenis is associated with a single testis.]][^1] [[2023-0629. Hemipenes are normally stored inside out in the base of the tail, forming a pocket into which a probe can be inserted to check a squamate's sex.|Hemipenes are normally stored inside out in the base of the tail, forming a pocket into which a probe can be inserted to check a squamate's sex.]][^1] [[2023-0629. Regarding hemipenes - snakes only use one at a time.|Snakes only use one hemipene at a time.]][^1] + These organs are highly variable in morphology, with differences observed both within and between species. - For example, the hemipenes of the Atractus genus are particularly variable, with the primitive unicapitate hemipenal condition being widespread.[^2] - Similarly, African snake hemipenes are described as simple, unornamented, and elongate structures.[^3] - In the Uropeltidae family, the hemipenes exhibit a range of morphologies, including bulbous and mushroom-shaped, simple and smooth, and simple and subcylindrical with fine spines.[^4] [^1]: Andrew Durso, ‘Why do snakes have two penises?’, *Life Is Short But Snakes Are Long*, 19 March 2014. https://snakesarelong.blogspot.com/2014/03/why-do-snakes-have-two-penises.html. [^2]: Schargel, Walter E., and Todd A. Castoe. ‘The Hemipenes of Some Snakes of the Semifossorial Genus Atractus, with Comments on Variation in the Genus’. *Journal of Herpetology*, vol. 37, no. 4, Dec. 2003, pp. 718–21. *bioone.org*, [https://doi.org/10.1670/7-02N](https://doi.org/10.1670/7-02N). [^3]: Branch, W. R. “Hemipenial Morphology of African Snakes: A Taxonomic Review. Part 1. Scolecophidia and Boidae.” *Journal of Herpetology*, vol. 20, no. 3, 1986, pp. 285–99. *JSTOR*, https://doi.org/10.2307/1564495. Accessed 12 Apr. 2024. [^4]: Pyron, R. Alexander, et al. ‘First Report of Hemipenial Variation among Some Genera and Species of Shieldtail Snakes (Serpentes: Uropeltidae) from India and Sri Lanka’. *Ichthyology & Herpetology*, vol. 110, no. 2, May 2022, pp. 299–314. *bioone.org*, [https://doi.org/10.1643/h2021024](https://doi.org/10.1643/h2021024).