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 in a bit of wit was named after an old limerick ("There was an old miner named Dave/ who kept a dead whore in his cave..."). The term was published in the Journal of Mammalogy. Dickerman, Robert W. 1960. J. Mammal. 41(3): 403-404.

Davian behavior has since been observed and published in birds (Wilson Bull. 100 (2), June 1988) and anurans (Meshaka, W. E., Jr. 1997. Anuran Davian behavior: a Darwinian dilemma. Florida Scientist 59:74–75.).

↑As the limerick suggests, copulation with a dead conspecific (necrophilia) was undoudtedlty noted in humans before being described in other mammals. The fact that we have laws prohibiting the activity (usually termed abuse of a corpse) indicates that the behavior exists.

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