The species is hermaphroditic; no males are found in the New Zealand subspecies " viridius ", Different subspecies of " Lepidurus apus " have different methods of fertilisation, some by a male, some by hermaphroditic individuals.
12.
"Lepidurus apus " has an unusual life-cycle : it is able to produce microscopic cysts that can lie dormant for years at a time through extreme conditions, letting it survive in areas with vastly different climates such as Morocco and Denmark.
