Unsurprisingly, tardigrade sex is a bit unconventional. And according to a study in the Zoological Journal, the toughest animal in the world engages in an awful lot of foreplay.

But how do tardigrades reproduce ? Let's take a closer look.

Tardigrades' Reproductive Mechanisms and Behaviors

When it comes to reproduction, tardigrades demonstrate incredible adaptability . Some species can switch between sexual and asexual reproduction, based on environmental conditions.

Many tardigrade species reproduce sexually, with males releasing sperm into the female's body cavity where fertilization occurs. The female will then lay eggs that hatch into tiny new tardigrades.

Some hermaphrodite species — which have both male and female reproductive organs — are able to self-fertilize. This is an

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