What Is Hermaphroditism? Definition, Major Types & Key Functions
The process of the formation of offspring from the parents is called reproduction. The produced offspring are similar to the parent. Reproduction can happen in two ways, they can reproduce sexually as well as asexually. If the reproduction takes place due to a single parent it is called asexual reproduction, and if a reproduction takes place by two parents of different sexes it is called sexual reproduction.
Hermaphrodite Meaning
The condition of having both male and female reproductive organs in the same parent is called hermaphroditism. It is also called intersex. It is grouped under other conditions such as disorder of sex development.
According to the hermaphrodite definition, there are four different types of hermaphroditism:
1. 46, XX Hermaphroditism: An individual who has this condition has two XX chromosome along with the ovaries, they also contain external genitalia that appears in the males. This condition can be caused due to the exposure of the fetus to the male hormones inside the womb, where the fusion of labia and clitoris takes place that resembles a penis. But the female sexual organs such as the uterus and fallopian tube have a normal structure.
2. 46, XY Hermaphroditism: An individual who has this condition has one X and one Y chromosome, and it is as usual as found in males. But the external genitalia resembles the females or not completely formed. The internal sexualities are found to be absent or normal or incomplete. It occurs due to the imbalance of male and female hormones. It can also be caused due to abnormal functioning of the testes or reduced ability of production of testosterone or difficulty found in the usage of produced testosterone.
3. True Gonadal Hermaphroditism: An individual who has this condition includes both ovarian and testicular tissue that is found either in the same gonad or one in the testis and one in the ovary. It is also called real hermaphrodite or true hermaphroditism. Some of the individuals that are affected by this condition include XX chromosomes and some have XY chromosomes whereas others have a combination of both the chromosomes. Some of the studies done on animals have suggested a link to agricultural pesticides and it has not been found in the case of humans.
4. Complex Hermaphroditism: It includes other sexual disorders beyond the simple ones such as 46, XX and 46, XY.
45, XO
47, XXY
47, XXX
In this condition, the individuals do not have any difference in internal or external genitalia. But they have abnormal levels of sex hormones and incomplete sexual development.
Hermaphroditism in Humans
True hermaphroditism in humans does not exist, instead, we can find pseudohermaphroditism. It is the condition in which individuals have both male and female external genitalia. The female embryos are exposed to high levels of male hormones such as androgens that develop the female internal organs and male external genitalia.
Protogynous
This condition is found to be different in both plants and animals, in plants the female organs develop and become mature before the males this avoids the process of self-pollination. In the case of animals, the individuals born are females but at some point in their life span, they change their sex to females.
Based on the hermaphrodite genitalia we can have four different types of hermaphroditism. The symptoms include delay or abnormal puberty changes, ambiguous genitalia, labial fusion, etc. As it is a complex issue finding an ideal treatment is difficult. Based on the external genitalia the gender was assigned and the treatment was given whereas now complexity of the gender has been found and the treatment is becoming more individualized.
FAQs on Hermaphroditism Explained: Types, Examples & Importance
1. What is hermaphroditism in biology? Provide examples from both the animal and plant kingdoms.
Hermaphroditism is a biological condition where a single organism possesses both male and female reproductive organs. Such organisms, known as hermaphrodites, can produce both male gametes (sperm) and female gametes (eggs). This is a natural reproductive strategy for many invertebrates and plants. Examples include:
- Animals: Earthworms, snails, slugs, tapeworms, and some fish like the clownfish.
- Plants: Bisexual flowers, such as those found in hibiscus, rose, and pea plants, are hermaphroditic as they contain both the stamen (male part) and the pistil (female part).
2. What are the main types of hermaphroditism observed in nature?
Hermaphroditism in nature is primarily categorised into two main types based on the timing of sexual function:
- Simultaneous Hermaphroditism: Organisms possess functional male and female reproductive organs at the same time. They can often mate with any other individual of their species. Earthworms are a classic example.
- Sequential Hermaphroditism: Organisms change their sex at some point in their life. This includes protandry (male first, e.g., clownfish) and protogyny (female first, e.g., wrasse fish).
3. What is the biological importance or evolutionary advantage of hermaphroditism?
The primary evolutionary advantage of hermaphroditism is reproductive assurance. This is especially beneficial for organisms that are sessile (non-moving), live in low-density populations, or have limited mobility. Key advantages include:
- Increased Mating Opportunities: Any two individuals can potentially mate, which doubles the chances of finding a suitable partner.
- Self-Fertilisation: In the absence of a partner, some hermaphrodites can self-fertilise to ensure the continuation of their species, although this reduces genetic diversity.
- Energy Efficiency: It can be energetically efficient to maintain both sets of organs rather than competing for mates in certain ecological niches.
4. How is hermaphroditism in animals different from the condition known as intersex in humans?
It is crucial to distinguish between these terms. Hermaphroditism is a natural and functional reproductive strategy in many animal and plant species, where an organism is fully equipped to produce both egg and sperm. In contrast, intersex is a general term used for a variety of conditions in humans where a person is born with reproductive or sexual anatomy that does not fit the typical binary definitions of female or male. It is a matter of human biological variation, not a reproductive strategy like that seen in earthworms or flowers.
5. Can hermaphrodites self-fertilise? Explain the mechanisms that prevent or promote self-fertilisation.
Yes, some hermaphrodites can self-fertilise, but many have evolved mechanisms to prevent it in favour of cross-fertilisation, which increases genetic diversity. Mechanisms to prevent self-fertilisation, known as dichogamy, include:
- Protandry: The male organs mature before the female ones.
- Protogyny: The female organs mature before the male ones.
- Physical Separation: The male and female pores are located in positions that make self-pollination or self-sperming difficult, as seen in earthworms which align themselves oppositely during mating. Self-fertilisation is often a 'last resort' strategy.
6. Differentiate between simultaneous and sequential hermaphroditism with specific examples.
The key difference lies in the timing of an organism's sexual function.
- Simultaneous hermaphrodites, like earthworms and many snails, possess functional male and female organs throughout their adult life. During mating, they typically exchange sperm, with both individuals fertilising each other's eggs.
- Sequential hermaphrodites, like the clownfish, function as one sex first and then change to the other. Clownfish are protandrous; they are born male, and the dominant individual in a group becomes female. If the female dies, the largest male will transition to become the new female.
7. How does hermaphroditism relate to the terms 'monoecious' and 'dioecious' used in botany?
These terms describe the distribution of reproductive structures in plants. Hermaphroditism is directly related to these concepts.
- A plant with hermaphroditic (or bisexual) flowers, where a single flower has both stamens and pistils (e.g., hibiscus), is a type of monoecious plant.
- The term monoecious more broadly means "one house" and can also describe plants that have separate male and female flowers on the same individual plant (e.g., maize).
- In contrast, a dioecious plant ("two houses") has male and female flowers on separate individual plants (e.g., papaya).
8. Why is 'true hermaphroditism' considered a rare condition, and what does it biologically entail?
The term "true hermaphroditism," now more clinically referred to as ovotesticular disorder of sex development, is rare in mammals because it represents an anomaly in sexual differentiation. Biologically, it means an individual's gonads contain both ovarian tissue (follicles) and testicular tissue (seminiferous tubules). This combined gonad is called an ovotestis. This is fundamentally different from the functional, evolutionarily-advantageous hermaphroditism found as a normal reproductive mode in many other species like worms and snails.
