Hermaphroditism refers to the existence of female and male sexual organs in the same living being, that is, of those living beings that have a mixed apparatus, capable of creating male and female gametes, something that in certain species such as plants and some fish, makes self-fertilization possible.
In the case of human beings, self-fertilization is something impossible, however, if it is possible the appearance of feminine and masculine aspects that define hermaphroditism. This abnormality in humans leads to infertility and the possession of underdeveloped sexual organs.
True hermaphroditism is one in which the ovaries and testicles are present simultaneously.
Hermaphroditism is used as a reproductive tactic for those animal species that find it difficult to find a mate, either due to their small population, their habitat, or their isolation. The only drawback would be that it would show a decrease in the efficiency of reproductive labor, as a result of little specialization.
In true hermaphroditism animals originates from invertebrates such as worms of land or snails; in the case of mammals and birds, hermaphroditism very often represents a pathological condition that leads to infertility. Only in fish does this condition occur frequently and naturally.
Although hermaphroditic creatures manufacture both types of gametes, they are unlikely to fertilize themselves; what does occur is a cross between different beings that act (both) as male and female; this is what is called simultaneous hermaphrodism. There are fish that have one sex at birth and after procreating they change sex, which is called sequential hermaphroditism.
Those with sequential hermaphroditism can have both male and female organs, only one will be active and the other will not.
The plants considered hermaphrodites are the following: the tulip, the rose, the carnation, the magnolia, the medlar, the lemon tree, the orange tree, the apple tree, the onion, among others.
In humans, there have been many cases of hermaphroditism, however this term is not assigned as such, but the expression intersex is assigned to it. These people, despite having both sexual organs, do not have the ability to reproduce in both ways. This abnormality originates during pregnancy. When the fetus is female, it occurs because the mother's adrenal glands create excess male hormones, causing an alteration in the external genitalia. In the case of the fetus being male, it originates because its tissues did not produce enough testosterone during week 6 or 8 after fertilization.
