semelparous

British  

/ ˈsɛməlˌpærəs /

adjective

1. Also: hapaxanthic.   monocarpic.  (of a plant) producing flowers and fruit only once before dying

2. (of an animal) producing offspring only once during its lifetime

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Other Word Forms

• semelparity noun

Example Sentences

So when you’re enjoying a candlelit dinner with your loved one or indulging in some other romantic celebration of Valentine’s Day, please keep in mind that humans are not semelparous.

From Scientific American • Feb. 13, 2020

Kalutas evolved independently of other semelparous dasyurids, so the confirmation that male kalutas die after mating suggests that this unorthodox reproductive strategy has evolved not once, but twice in dasyurids.

From New York Times • Aug. 28, 2019

Kalutas are dasyurids, the only group of mammals known to contain semelparous species.

From New York Times • Aug. 28, 2019

Male kalutas, small mouselike marsupials found in the arid regions of Northwestern Australia, are semelparous, meaning that shortly after they mate, they drop dead.

From New York Times • Aug. 28, 2019

Like nearly all cephalopods, these octopuses are strictly semelparous, meaning they breed once and then die.

From Slate • Nov. 3, 2017