Thinking too much about merperson biology and reproduction probably is not a good idea. But it always amuses me that the one-tailed mermaid is considered a sexual icon (the whole "lonely sailors" thing) when she has no obvious means of engaging in sexual activity. One can, of course, assume a sort of cetacean approach. But given the historic iconography of two-tailed variants (e.g., the traditional depiction of male tritons), it seemed an innovative twist.
I've also come up with a completely throwaway explanation for the "sitting on the rocks combing her hair" trope: merpeople have to respiratory systems, lungs for above the air, and external hair-like gill structures for under water. But the gill-hairs have a tendency to become fouled with acquatic micro-fauna and need regular grooming...
I swear that this story will come in under 5000 words. I swear.
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Date: 2016-07-09 05:50 pm (UTC)I've also come up with a completely throwaway explanation for the "sitting on the rocks combing her hair" trope: merpeople have to respiratory systems, lungs for above the air, and external hair-like gill structures for under water. But the gill-hairs have a tendency to become fouled with acquatic micro-fauna and need regular grooming...
I swear that this story will come in under 5000 words. I swear.