Hermaphroditism

[Queercommie Girl]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermaphrodite

In biology (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biology), a hermaphrodite is an organism that has reproductive organs normally associated with both male and female sexes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexes).[1] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermaphrodite#cite_note-0)

Many taxonomic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxonomic) groups of animals (mostly invertebrates (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invertebrates)) do not have separate sexes. In these groups, hermaphroditism is a normal condition, enabling a form of sexual reproduction (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_reproduction) in which both partners can act as the "female" or "male". For example, the great majority of pulmonate (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pulmonate) snails, opisthobranch (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opisthobranch) snails (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snails) and slugs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slugs) are hermaphrodites. Hermaphroditism is also found in some fish species and to a lesser degree in other vertebrates (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertebrates). Most plants are also hermaphrodites.

Historically, the term hermaphrodite has also been used to describe ambiguous genitalia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ambiguous_genitalia) and gonadal mosaicism (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonadal_mosaicism) in individuals of gonochoristic (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonochoristic) species, especially human beings, The word hermaphrodite entered the English lexicon in the 15th century, derived from the Greek Hermaphroditos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermaphroditos) a combination of the names of the gods Hermes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermes) (male) and Aphrodite (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphrodite) (female).[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermaphrodite#cite_note-1) Recently, the word "intersex (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intersex)" has come into preferred usage for humans, since the word "hermaphrodite" is considered to be misleading and stigmatizing.[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermaphrodite#cite_note-2)

What do you think is the darwinian logic behind the emergence and evolution of hermaphroditism? What evolutionary benefits would hermaphroditism offer a species, and to individuals of a species?

Do you think humans might also become hermaphrodites (or at least have the potential ability to) in the future, especially as trans-humanist technologies become available?

[PhoenixAsh]

Well...I don't know if it is Darwinian. But the reason behind hermaphroditism can be found in

* the availability of reacheable partners
Some organisms are very slow and have limited territorial acces or have huge territories where it is harder to find suitable, if at all, mates. This makes it more sensible to have both sex organs to increase the likelyhood of procreation....or indeed makes it very handy if you can change your sex (sequential hermaphroduitism...if I remember my biology correct)

Some organisms can't move at all making the whole process of procreation dependable on other organisms which is not very efficient. In this case selffertilisations (which is relatively rare) can occur.

In some species where both partenrs are hermaphroditic they can both inpregnate and become pregnant during mating. Which naturally increases the amount and survival chances of offspring.

Some species have role behaviour for different genders. IN some cases male are territorial and females wander or the other way around. Environmental conditions may make it more likely or unlikely to encounter members of the opposite gender. In that case its ver hand to be able to change your sex.


* the life span of the organism, Short lived organisms need massive amount of offspring to ensure species survival. Combinaed with the above mentioned double impregnation abilities this will be more succesfull when hermaphroditic.

* position in the food chain.
A lot of hermaphroditic organisms are prey animals in areas where they deal with massive amount of predators or with predators who will eat massive amounts of the organism. In such cases an organism needs massive offspring. Really this is a sub from the point mentioned above.



I do believe that within humans hermaphroditism is not a mapped expression of genes by which I mean part of the normal biological gender traits of humans, making it a genetic "mutation" (I don't mean this as value). If this has any relevant Darwinian or evolutionary value is something I can't answer. In my opinion not specifically seeing we are not in any position like described above and rapid and mutual procreation is not something which will ensure the survival of our species. In fact...one could argue rapid procreation has a balance upsetting and species threatening effect especially considering the limits of the present human environment.

But wether or not this will become a "normal" part of the human sex traits is entirely a different matter. And depends entirely of the succes in which the gentic codes for hermaphroditism can be exchanged. And wether or not this is a viable situation depends on how hermaphroditism is expressed.

As it seems to be now hermaphroditism in humans is not simply a case of having both a penis and a vagina...different expressions exist in humans. Some hermaphrodites have a severely enlarged clitores, some have breasts others do not, some have no womb, some do. Some have ovaries and or testis and some don't. I do believe the fertility question is at the present something which is relatively rare for hermaphrodites since many of them can not have children.

Historically the classification of hermaphrodites has been very problematic and socially and culturally repressed. Especially since the early 20th century. When it was the norm to classify the gender of the child by having testis. In which case the person was classified as male...even if they did not function as such....to prevent, what they named, homosexual relationships. from the 60's onwards the medical advances were demanded by society to "correct" ambiguity in favor of the most expressed sex. This has caused numerous long term and devastating psychological problems in children who were born with sex ambiguity. As you can imagine. Its really not socially accepted and that needs to end.