| hermaphrodite | <biology> An organism which has both male and female organs, and produces both male gametes (sperm) and female gametes (eggs). The organism can have both types of organs at the same time (simultaneous hermaphrodite) or have one type early in life and the other type later in life (sequential hermaphrodite). (09 Oct 1997) |
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| sequential hermaphrodite | <biology, zoology> A type of hermaphrodite which starts out life as one sex and will either turn into a member of the other sex at a later point in life or will be capable of doing so if an appropriate condition arises (for example: the removal of all of the males in a population triggers the most dominant female to become a male). (11 Jun 1998) |
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| simultaneous hermaphrodite | A type of hermaphrodite which has both male and female organs at the same time and is able to produce both sperm and eggs at the same time. Such an organism is also able to fertilize its eggs with its own sperm (self-fertilization). (09 Oct 1997) |