Sex deviations, inversions, and parabiosis.

Abstract

I. introduction: general theories of sex Gonochorism, hermaphrodism and intersexualityIn many primitive thallophytes and protozoans, morphological and physiological characters do not help to discriminate sexes. However, recent research points to the fact that even in these isogametic organisms, sex is of the same basic nature as in the most differentiated higher forms. The work of Knight, Hartmann and Jollos on primitive algae, Blakeslee and Burgeff on Phycomycetes, and that of Kniep and Brunswick on Basidiomycetes1 gives concurrent evidence that the isogametes (in some cases the gametophytes) can always be divided into two classes with respect to their reactions during fertilization. In the absence of morphological criteria they are sometimes designated as (+) and ( -) sexes, though evidently they correspond to the female and male sexes of higher organisms. The capacity to join in fertilization is the most general expression of sexual nature and the fact that fertilization presupposes a difference between the conjugants is the very foundation of the bisexuality theory.In the course of their work the aforementioned authors have occasionally met with reactions which seemed to be. exceptions to the rule that only opposite sexes conjugate successfully. Hartmann assembles under the term of "relative sexuality" all these interesting cases. Their further analysis indicates that the basic structure of every gamete is bisexual or male-female (MF). What appears as the sex of a gamete or an organism is in fact only the dominant sex, while the entire constitution includes both male and female potentialities.Experiments with higher organisms contribute further evidence in support of the bisexuality theory.

The Mechanisms of Intersex

“…Grumbach, Van Wyk and Wilkins (1955) observed that most workers agree that “ the differentiation of the primordial gonad into & testis or an ovary is established by the balance of an undetermined number of antagonistic genie determinators carried by both the sex‐chromosomes and autosomes ”. Gonadal differentiation occurs too early to be hormone‐dependent (Hoffenberg and Jackson, 1956; Hamblen, 1957) and it has not been possible to influence gonadal differentiation by experimental administration of sex hormones to embryo of any placental mammals (Grumbach and others, 1957) although it is possible to do this in lower animals (Witschi, 1951 ; Burns, 1955). Primary induction is, therefore, a genetic non‐hormonal mechanism.…”

Annual Gonadal Cycle of Black Kite Milvus migrans govinda

“…Vitellogenesis was initiated during this phase, the ova increased rapidly in size and attained maturity by December. Kummarlowe (1930), Witschi (1932), Fitzpatrick (1933, Stanley (1937), and Shaw (1938) have reported that in various species of hawks, both the ovaries may persist, but that the right oviduct is vestigeal. Furthermore, they reported that the right ovary was largest in the Accipitrinae and smaller in the Falconinae, Butoeninae and Cathartinae.…”