Male octopuses paralyse partners with venom during sex to avoid being eaten, scientists find - Octopus uses symbiotic bacteria to sequester the venom

While unfortunate for the males, becoming a post-sex meal offers the females vital nutrients needed to sustain themselves and their soon-to-be hundreds of gestating offspring. This practice is especially common in animals exhibiting female sexual dimorphism,

Male blue-lined octopi (Hapalochlaena fasciata) have been found to use venom on their sexual partners, as well as for the usual reasons of defense against predators and subduing prey. Killing the females would be counterproductive,