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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Some species can become single gender if the predator level is negligible. Females begin self-fertilising, birthing only females and the species can turn all-female within two generations. Scientists also believe there's no reason this couldn't happen in humans.
The whiptail lizard is single-gender and the official state reptile of New Mexico. It counters the genetic limit on diversity by having twice the number of chromosomes. Go, New Mexico, the XYXY state!
Other species can change gender.
The largest female in a harem of Asian Sheephead Wrasse changes gender to become male when the dominant male disappears, as males are wont to do, because harems, eh? Can't live with 'em, can't sell 'em to a fish market.
It's kinda sad she has to turn so ugly and grow such a big head but that's the cost of spitting your semen wherever you fancy.
Bearded dragons can go from male to female while still in the egg. Strictly speaking, they're still genetically male but gain the reproductive abilities of the female. They actually lay more eggs than standard females, too, which of course they do. They probably boast loudly about it to their mates down the pub later, with their big hipster beards.
Garter snakes mate in a big ball of snake, like some kind of Caligulan orgy. When they're ready to mate after hibernation, the males can be a bit slow, so some mimic being female. This causes other males to ball them, literally, which hides them from predators and raises their temperature to get them moving quicker.
One also needs to hide from predators sometimes, when one can't move quickly because one is in heels.
The cuttlefish changes one side of its body to appear female, which is shows to other males to prevent them competing with it, while it displays itself as male to the female it's trying to woo. The male looking on has no idea, though once discovered, the onlooker will probably start talking about wanting "the best of both worlds but please don't tell my mates," as many tgirls are familiar with.
Clownfish (Nemo) have a hierarchy with a female at the top. This is probably about as common in fish as it is in human corporations. When she dies, the most dominant male changes gender to replace her. They also have a prettier wardrobe.
The Black-finned Goby's genitals are similar in male and female, which allows them to change gender quite easily, usually F2M but sometimes M2F. Science suggests females which become males lose their submissive behaviour and take on jagged movements, which are known as "jerks." Males/jerks. Obviously.
If two females of a particular species of Goby are living on the same reef and both used to be male, one of them can become male again. Well, somebody has to go top.
Chickens can experience gender change either way. If an egg with male chromosomes is cooled for a few days after laying, it can develop as a genetic male with female reproductive attributes. Born with two sex organs, only a female chicken's left ovary is functional. Sometimes that ovary can regress and the right testes becomes dominant. A cock with one ball, so to speak. |
