The article that I chose for this week is entitled, "7 Gender-Bending Animals." It was written by Liz Langley for National Geographic online. The article was incredibly interesting, and the title grabbed my attention. I enjoy reading about weird animal phenomena, and this definitely qualifies as odd and unique!
The article began with connecting humans and animals' ability to change, "bend", or hide genders. Then we are introduced to each of the seven animals the article would discuss: Cuttlefish, Garter Snakes, Spotted Hyena, African Bat Bug, Anemonefish, Parrotfish, and Hawkfish. Apparently, the cuttlefish actually changes his appearance to woo the female species on one side (male), but preoccupy other males on the opposite side (female). It is a fabulous dating strategy!
The second animal with the special ability to morph itself is the garter snake. The garter snake mates in a large group (strange in of itself!), so male snakes pretend to be female in order to stay in the warm, protected center. What pranksters!
Next, we have the spotted hyena. The female spotted hyena actually has a "pseudo penis" that resembles the male hyena's genitalia, yet it performs the female genitalia's functions. The female hyena's brutality helps fulfill the laws of nature: only the strong survive.
The next animal is the African bat bug. The bat bugs originated with a violent form of "traumatic insemination," but now they have developed new genitalia. The females adapted with a hole in their bodies to allow insemination, the males copied, and the females followed the males. They are just trying to confuse everyone on their true gender.
Now, we move on to the Anemonefish. This fish keeps a healthy stock of males and females, yet all the animals are born male. If a female fish dies, a male will become a new female in order to keep reproduction a possibility.
Next, the Parrotfish is born with both sets of genitalia. Therefore, females can become male at any time.
If they are not happy being female, they can try being male!
Our last animal is the Hawkfish. This fish can actually change from one gender to the other and back again. Basically, if this fish gets bored they can try being another gender for awhile and change back!
These animals are all absolutely fascinating! They have adapted, evolved, or changed over time to make it so gender is a choice or an ever-changing process. I chose this article because it taught me something new, and it allowed me to reflect on humans' own behavior regarding gender.
It is important for us to realize these oddities because it allows our own science to study how the animals change, and if it is possible to manufacture. humans have begun this complicated process in the very recent past. We now have gender realignment surgeries for hermaphrodites or people who feel like they are not the gender they were born. The fact that science and medicine can change a person entirely from one gender to another is a relatively new science and is highly controversial. I wonder if it was controversial when the first Parrotfish female evolved into a male?
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