Sex characteristics

Sex characteristics are those characteristics that differentiate between male and female within a species. They are divided into two main types: primary sex characteristics, which are the reproductive organs and genitals that differentiate between male and female, and secondary sex characteristics, which emerge at puberty and further distinguish the two sexes.

Primary Sex Characteristics

Primary sex characteristics are those that are present at birth and are directly involved in reproduction. In humans, these include the ovaries in females and the testes in males. These organs produce gametes, or sex cells, that are necessary for sexual reproduction.

Secondary Sex Characteristics

Secondary sex characteristics are those that emerge during puberty and are not directly involved in reproduction. They serve to further distinguish between males and females. In humans, these include the development of breasts in females and the deepening of the voice in males. Other secondary sex characteristics include the growth of facial hair in males and the widening of the hips in females.

Sexual Dimorphism

Sexual dimorphism is the term used to describe the physical differences between males and females of the same species. These differences can include size, color, and the presence of certain physical features. In humans, sexual dimorphism is evident in the differences in body size and shape, facial features, and the distribution of body hair.

Intersex

Intersex is a term used to describe individuals who do not fit typical definitions of male or female. This can be due to variations in physical sex characteristics such as chromosomes, gonads, sex hormones, or genitals. Intersex individuals may have characteristics that are typically associated with both males and females, or they may have characteristics that do not fit typical definitions of male or female.

See Also

• Sexual reproduction
• Sexual differentiation
• Gender identity
• Sexual orientation

Sex characteristics Resources
Need Help Finding a Doctor? Need help finding a doctor or specialist anywhere in the world? Explore our world directory. WikiMD's DocFinder can assist you in locating millions of physicians.	Medical Knowledge Access the latest research - Most recent articles Ongoing trials.

Translate to: East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski