Inside the animal kingdom’s bizarre mating rituals from face tickling terrapins to noisy bladders and flirty belly flops

THERE is something in the water at this time of year as sea creatures begin their odd courtship rituals.

From love bites to tickling the face of a prospective mate, the colourful and sometimes kinky world of ocean-dwellers is mind-boggling.

Seahorses dance for up to eight hours when mating

Catherine Pritchard from the Sea Life London Aquarium said: “Spring is important in the underwater world as new relationships are formed and the exciting possibility of the pitter-patter of tiny feet — and fins — takes over.”

Here, Sarah Arnold reveals how creatures of the deep turn on the charm.

Seahorses

THEY have nailed the horizontal tango by dancing for up to eight hours when mating — and stay together for life.

Sharks

Amorous sharks give prospective partners love bites just behind their pectoral fins

EVEN the world’s deadliest predator needs romance.

Amorous sharks give prospective partners love bites just behind their pectoral fins.

Well, they do say love hurts . . . 

Angler fish

Male angler fish bite a female before their bodies disintegrate, leaving just their private parts

TALK about being used for sex.

Male angler fish bite a female before their bodies disintegrate, leaving just their private parts.

The female then uses them to reproduce at will.

Cuttlefish

Smalle male cuttlefish cross-dress in order to have hanky-panky

THE small males cross-dress in order to have hanky-panky.

Unable to compete with their bigger rivals, they change their colour to brown to mimic a female in order to have a secret tryst.

Sea Hares

These marine snails are the swingers of the under-water world.

THESE marine snails are the swingers of the under-water world.

They have both male and female reproductive organs and form a chain connecting them all together for mass fertilisations.

Gentoo penguins

All a female gentoo penguin wants is a pebble

FORGET a box of chocolates — all a female gentoo penguin wants is a pebble.

The male gives it to her as a love token and as a sign of his breeding credentials.

Mobula rays

Mobula rays leap up to six feet out of the water to find a female

THE Pointer Sisters song Jump (For My Love) could have been written about these fish who leap up to six feet out of the water to find a female.

The most attractive make the loudest splash.

Pufferfish

Male pufferfish cleverly create symmetrical shapes on the sea bed to catch females’ attention

THERE’S a fine art to attracting a mate — and these fish are masters at drawing them in.

The males cleverly create symmetrical shapes on the sea bed to catch females’ attention.

Terrapins

Male terrapins choose to flutter their front limbs across a possible mate’s face to show they fancy them

HOW do you make a shy female come out of her shell?

While comic Ken Dodd famously had a tickling stick, male terrapins choose to flutter their front limbs across a possible mate’s face to show they fancy them. Tattyfilarious!