mating mark

English

Noun

mating mark (plural mating marks)

1. (zoology, rare) A lasting mark or wound sustained during copulation in certain species.
   • 1966, Journal of the Fisheries Research Board of Canada, volume 23, numbers 7-2, page 1323:

     The male crab observed in this study did not have mating marks prior to picking up the female.

   • 2006, Justin C. Ainsworth, "An evaluation of the use of mating marks as an indicator of mating success in male Dungeness crabs", thesis submitted to Humboldt State University, page iii:

     Dependable indicators of female mating activity have been revealed, but mating activity of males has only been indirectly inferred through examination of so-called “mating marks”, presumably created during the premating embrace between a male and female.

   • 2012, Michael L. Domeier, Global Perspectives on the Biology and Life History of the White Shark‎^[1], page 165:

     Observations of female White Sharks with relatively recent mating marks are rare in CC [Central California].

2. (fiction) In speculative erotica, a scar or mark on a person's body signifying their permanent bond to another, typically the result of a bite.
   • 2017, Rosa Swan, My Mate's Mark, unnumbered page:

     Especially not after seeing a mating mark on Wilder's shoulder.

   • 2019, Tessa Barone, "Just Go Find Yourself a Nice Alpha: Gender and Consent in Supernatural Fandom's Alpha/Beta/Omega Universe", thesis submitted to Oregon State University, page 10:

     As romance novels often end with a marriage, ABO fics will often end with the mating mark.

   • 2019, Kallie Traylor, Divided We Fall, unnumbered page:

     He wore no mating mark on his neck, but he often referred to us as his “pack.”

Synonyms

• (fiction): claiming bite, claiming mark, mating bite