Good morning, who would like to hear about hyena clitorises? Well, great news for those of you who do (and terrible news for those who don't) because you're going to hear about hyena clitorises now. 
Female spotted hyenas are unusual in the animal kingdom for two reasons:
1. They don't have an external vaginal opening
2. They have a clitoris so anatomically similar to a penis it's often referred to in literature as a pseudo-penis.
1. They don't have an external vaginal opening
2. They have a clitoris so anatomically similar to a penis it's often referred to in literature as a pseudo-penis.
Hyena clitorises - like all clitorises - are comprised of erectile tissue, but hyena clitorises have some added functions. As well as sticking out more and being shaped like a penis, they pee through their clitorises, have sex and give birth through it.
From the outside it can be very difficult to spot the difference between male hyena junk and female hyena junk but there are differences: the shape of the glans is different.
Nevertheless, it can be a little difficult, and sometimes you might need to feel the scrotum (yes, female hyenas have those too!) to see if there's any balls inside it.
Female hyenas can also be identified from other, non-genital characteristics: they're usually more muscular and more dominant than male hyenas.
To establish hierarchy among hyenas, subordinate females will lick the clitorises of the dominant females. Male hyenas will also lick clitorises, but females never lick the males' penises, because males are always lower rank.
Females also lick each other's clits as a greeting.
Females also lick each other's clits as a greeting.
Oh, and did we mention that hyena clitorises have spines? They have spines, too.
The phallic hyena clitoris has evolutionary advantages. It is impossible for a male to coerce a female hyena because sex is a vast logistical challenge for the males. Males have to slide under to line the penis up with the clitoris.
The clitoris retracts in on itself, which creates an opening - this action has been described as "like rolling up a shirtsleeve" if you're trying to visualise hyenas doing it.
The logistics of putting a penis into something which is functionally very similar to a penis, and also erect, is complicated, and young males often have to spend months practising to get the knack of it.
Unfortunately for female hyenas, with anatomy like this, childbirth can be challenging. About 15% of hyenas die the first time they give birth, and following birth their clitorises become slack and split.
Historically, due to the external anatomical similarities, spotted hyenas were thought to be hermaphrodites - it was only in the 18th century that the female hyena's unique anatomy started to be understood.
We'll conclude here by requesting that Disney must urgently release the anatomically correct hyena cut of The Lion King.
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