Abnormal Sexuality in Animals. II. Physiological

Abstract

A literature review. On the basis of sex, animals are put in 3 classes (1) With genotype irrevocably determining sexual phenotype; sex characters are secondary genotypic ones. (Insects have sexual characters directed by factors inherent in all cells.) (2) With sexual characters a combination of secondary genotypic and secondary gonadic ones. (3) With genotype readily and usually overriden by environmental agencies and sex phenotype conditioned by these agencies. Physiological intersexes, in last 2 classes, is due to partial or complete overriding of genotype by: (1) action of foreign biochemical agency, as in (a) freemartins and possible reciprocal freemartins (cattle, goats, swine and oppossum or possibly in cats), and artificial hermaphrodites, by sex hormones during development; (b) Bonnellia and Crepidula by position relative to other animals and their secretions; (2) parasitism as in Inachus with Sacculina, Eupagurus with Peltogaster, Thelia with Aphelopus, which alters type of metabolism; (3) gonadectomy, artificial or pathological, as in cattle, deer, fowl, (the nature of the right gonad in fowl and the relation of ovarian tissue development in chicks to conditions during 6th day of incubation is discussed); (4) external agencies such as temp., salinity, food abundance, etc.,in Ostrea, Anodonta, Synapta, Asterina, Patella, Ophiuroid, and Corausius intersexes.