Davian behavior

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Davian behavior is a scientific term of art referring to copulation with a dead conspecific. It was first observed in ground squirrels and was named after an old limerick ("There was an old miner named Dave/ who kept a dead whore in his cave/You have to admit/He hadn't much wit/But look at the money he saved!").[1] Davian behavior has since been observed and published in birds[2] and anurans. This behavior also occurs in humans, and the fact that there are laws against it, assumes that it must be controlled. Such laws are typically titled "abuse of a corpse." [3]

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[edit] References

  1. ^ Dickerman, Robert W. (1960). ""Davian Behavior Complex" in Ground Squirrels". Journal of Mammalogy 41 (3): 403–404. doi:10.2307/1377510. 
  2. ^ Lehner, Philip N. (1988). "Avian Davian Behavior". The Wilson Bulletin 100 (2): 293–294. 
  3. ^ Meshaka, Walter E., Jr (1997). "Anuran Davian behavior: a Darwinian dilemma". Florida Scientist 59 (2): 74–75.