Secondary sex characteristic
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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| '''Secondary sex characteristics''' are features that appear during [[puberty]] in [[human]]s, and at [[sexual maturity]] in other animals. These are particularly evident in the [[sexual dimorphism|sexually dimorphic]] [[phenotypic trait]]s that distinguish the [[sex]]es of a species, but unlike the [[sex organ]]s, are not directly part of the [[reproductive system]]. They are believed to be the product of [[sexual selection]] for traits which display [[fitness (biology)|fitness]], giving an individual an advantage over its rivals in [[courtship]] and [[aggression|aggressive]] interactions. They are distinguished from the [[sexual characteristics |primary sex characteristics]], the sex organs, which are directly necessary for [[sexual reproduction]] to occur. | '''Secondary sex characteristics''' are features that appear during [[puberty]] in [[human]]s, and at [[sexual maturity]] in other animals. These are particularly evident in the [[sexual dimorphism|sexually dimorphic]] [[phenotypic trait]]s that distinguish the [[sex]]es of a species, but unlike the [[sex organ]]s, are not directly part of the [[reproductive system]]. They are believed to be the product of [[sexual selection]] for traits which display [[fitness (biology)|fitness]], giving an individual an advantage over its rivals in [[courtship]] and [[aggression|aggressive]] interactions. They are distinguished from the [[sexual characteristics |primary sex characteristics]], the sex organs, which are directly necessary for [[sexual reproduction]] to occur. | ||
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Secondary sex characteristics are features that appear during puberty in humans, and at sexual maturity in other animals. These are particularly evident in the sexually dimorphic phenotypic traits that distinguish the sexes of a species, but unlike the sex organs, are not directly part of the reproductive system. They are believed to be the product of sexual selection for traits which display fitness, giving an individual an advantage over its rivals in courtship and aggressive interactions. They are distinguished from the primary sex characteristics, the sex organs, which are directly necessary for sexual reproduction to occur.
Secondary sex characteristics include manes of male lions and long feathers of male peacock, the tusks of male narwhals, enlarged proboscises in male elephant seals and proboscis monkeys, the bright facial and rump coloration of male mandrills, and horns in many goats and antelopes, and these are believed to be produced by a positive feedback loop known as the Fisherian runaway produced by the secondary characteristic in one sex and the desire for that characteristic in the other sex. Male birds and fish of many species have brighter coloration or other external ornaments. Differences in size between sexes are also considered secondary sexual characteristics.
In humans, visible secondary sex characteristics include pubic hair, enlarged breasts and widened hips of females, and facial hair and Adam's apple on males.
