• Question: does any creature have both male and female reproductive systems

    Asked by to Del, Catherine, John, Krishna, Mo Rassul on 16 Mar 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Catherine Mansfield

      Catherine Mansfield answered on 16 Mar 2014:

      Yes, if a creature has both male and female reproductive organs it is called a ‘hermaphrodite’. There are many types of creatures where this is normal and they don’t have separate sexes, for example certain types of snails and slugs and some fish. It can also occasionally occur in humans but this is quite uncommon.

    • Photo: Adelle Thrower

      Adelle Thrower answered on 16 Mar 2014:

      Interesting question-
      I have had a few specimens come though my lab with hermaphrodite issues-sometimes children can be born with a womb but have testicles where ovaries should be, these cases are very rare though. When humans are born with both male and female organs it’s ethically a very difficult situation. To ensure they have the best chance to feel comfortable with their condition often parents have to decide which gender their child should become. Unfortunately in most cases they will be infertile. Doctors will advise parents physically what may be best for the child, but there are no guarantees what gender that child make mentally feel they are until they are older. Tricky one…..

    • Photo: Krishna Mohan Surapaneni

      Krishna Mohan Surapaneni answered on 17 Mar 2014:

      Many ASEXUAL animals will have both male and female reproductive organs.

      But, most of them are INSECTS.

      Example: COMMON GREEN FLY

    • Photo: John Foster

      John Foster answered on 17 Mar 2014:

      There a number of animals that reproduce without both sexes. Aphids (green flies) give birth to young aphids that are actually pregnant themselves.

Comments