Kisses between men and women usually last for a few seconds. Kisses lasting minutes are unusual, kisses lasting hours quite remarkable.

There is a type of kiss called "maraichinage" - after the Maraichins or inhabitants of the district Pays de Mont in the Vendee (Britanny) which quite literally lasts for hours. In this type of exchange the couple mutually explore and caress the inside of each other's mouths with their tongues "as profoundly as possible." Maraichinage has been recommended as a "real antidote against depopulation."

Most people take the values and practices of their own society as absolute, those of other cultures as subjective and misguided. For those human beings accustomed to kissing it may seem odd that some peoples do not indulge in any such practice. Most of us have heard that Eskimos rub noses rather than kiss. Fewer of us have heard of the Siriono, mentioned in the anthropological literature: this tribe, living in South America, do not indulge in kissing (nor is breast stimulation a usual part of foreplay). Nor do the Thonga go much on kissing: when they

Robert Herrick has been dubbed the "Kissing Poet." For instance his "Hesperides", 1648, is replete with kisses and kissing.

Many fish appear to take pleasure in kissing: this is particularly the case with "ornamental" fish. Wendt remarks that "The couples use their lips in the ceremonies of courtship in a surprisingly human manner." One particular type of labyrinth fish is known as the "kissing gurami" In this species the enthusiasm for the kiss is such that one such act may last as much as twenty-five minutes. Doubtless human kisses can exceed this duration but such achievements must be rare.

Roman snails are very keen on sex play prior to copulation. The preliminary courting can include extensive rocking to and fro, rearing up, and rhythmic oscillations. The sex play can also include what Wendt has termed "smacking kisses". After all these happy preliminaries the actual copulation itself may last for several minutes.

See:

• Largest human penis
• Largest penis in animal kingdom

Home Page

The Illustrated Book of Sexual Records is a compilation of well over 400 sexual superlatives from all around the world.

Discover the biggest, longest, sexiest, tallest, smallest, shortest, highest, lowest, fastest, slowest, rarest, oldest, youngest, happiest, first, last, maximum, minimum, largest, oddest... and most unusual sex record known.

Choose from one of the many categories below (or use the menu left), or try searching top-right, for nearly any keyword.

Home Page

The Illustrated Book of Sexual Records is a compilation of well over 400 sexual superlatives from all around the world.

Discover the biggest, longest, sexiest, tallest, smallest, shortest, highest, lowest, fastest, slowest, rarest, oldest, youngest, happiest, first, last, maximum, minimum, largest, oddest... and most unusual sex record known.

Choose from one of the many categories below (or use the menu left), or try searching top-right, for nearly any keyword.