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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsA short-beaked echidna’s penis is normally stored inside its body. When visible, its tip has four rosette-like glans—often described as four “heads”—but only two become erect at a time. The organ is used for mating, not urination.
What does it look like?
In Australian Geographic’s 24 May 2021 image, credited to researcher Jane Fenelon, the exposed anatomy appears bright red and ends in four distinct, rosette-like structures. The image shows an unusual reproductive organ, not four separate penises: the four glans are at the tip of one penis. Australian Geographic’s image and account describe it as having four heads.
At rest, the penis is internal. During an erection, only two of its four glans are used; observations indicate that the active pair can switch sides. So the image’s four-part appearance does not mean all four parts function at once.
How do four glans work as two?
A peer-reviewed study of the short-beaked echidna, Tachyglossus aculeatus, describes four rosette glans and the two-at-a-time pattern. Earlier observations also recorded one-sided ejaculation and alternating use of the sides. The 2021 study record and a 2007 account in The American Naturalist document these findings.
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The anatomical work helps explain how one side can be active while the other is not. Researchers traced a urethra that begins as one tube and branches toward the glans. They also described separate erectile tissues and branching blood vessels. Their proposed mechanism is that blood flow down one side can control which half becomes erect and which urethral branch stays open. This describes the anatomy and a proposed explanation for its function; it does not establish why the arrangement evolved.
Is it used for urination?
No. The penis is used for mating, not for passing urine. Australian Geographic quoted reproductive biologist Jane Fenelon saying, “We’re not really sure why it looks so weird but we do know that they only use their penis for mating, not urine.” The urinary and reproductive functions are separate.
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What is known about the image’s viral moment?
PerthNow reported on 29 April 2022 that Australian Geographic had shared the photo on Facebook the preceding Thursday. That report documents the social-media share and the image’s viral framing, but it does not give a view count or other measure of reach. PerthNow’s report is evidence of the coverage event, not a quantified measure of how widely the post spread.
What did the researchers study?
The detailed anatomy findings concern the short-beaked echidna, not every echidna species by default. The University of Melbourne researchers explain that their work used echidnas brought injured to Currumbin Wildlife Hospital and unable to recover, as well as observations of a tame echidna. MicroCT with iodine staining and microscopy helped reveal soft tissues. Their explainer notes that the hospital receives around 50 injured echidnas annually; that is an approximate intake figure, not a population estimate or the study’s sample size. The University of Melbourne’s explainer gives more detail on the methods and anatomy.
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Why did this anatomy evolve?
The reason remains unresolved. Male competition has been suggested as one possible factor, but the researchers do not claim it as a demonstrated explanation for why only two glans are used at a time. A recent Australian Geographic explainer, published 21 August 2026, likewise reiterates that the evolutionary explanation is uncertain. Australian Geographic’s 2026 explainer distinguishes that open question from the observed anatomy and mating function.
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