Sex that is not for reproduction

(St. Petersburg State University) Conjugation (or mating) of ciliates is a unique phenomenon among living beings. They have sex not for reproduction or pleasure - they seek to increase genetic variation. Scientists from St Petersburg University, together with colleagues from Poland and France, have studied the mating process in five sibling species of the Paramecium aurelia complex. Their findings enabled them to describe genetic mechanisms behind this phenomenon.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news