If you think transgenders only exists in humans, you are wrong.
There are different species who possess the traits and organs of both male and female in the same body. And yes, they can change their gender from a male to female and vice versa, depending on their surroundings and situation.
Some of them are like this because nature made them this way, while for some it is a part of their evolution. The changing environment and global warming have made them evolve. Here are the 7 gender-bending animals that can easily change their sex when needed.
1. Clown Fish
Usually, clown fish stay in a group that consists of only one mature pair. That mature pair comprises of a large male fish and an even larger female fish. Rest of the fishes are just immature males. In case, a female fish dies, the bigger male turns its gender to female and picks the next bigger male fish in line to become the male.
Everyone must have watched Finding Nemo, but did you know this about the clownfish? Yes, they look colorful and cute but they are also transgender. These types of gender-bending fishes come under the category of hermaphrodites. These hermaphrodites have the reproductive organs of both male and female in their body.
Though they can’t produce female eggs and male sperm at the same time. As they aren’t self-fertile.
2. Hawkfish
These harem dwellers are called protogynous – a subcategory of hermaphrodites animals. Though they are different from the hermaphrodites, as their bodies don’t have both male and female reproductive organs at the same time. At the time of birth these fishes born with the female reproductive organs but after being matured they can convert their sex.
The group of hawkfish only have a single male and others are just young females. In case, there are too many females in a group, the largest female hawkfish converts its sex into a male. After that, the group divides into two parts both consisting of almost equal number of females.
Not just this but their gender changing capabilities are far more superior than others. They can switch back from female to male and then male to female at any time. Now that’s something magical, right?
3. Bass
Nature has created both the bigmouth bass and smallmouth bass but nature didn’t want any of them to grow any female reproductive parts. But it is happening and the worst part is that this one is caused by humans. Throughout the world, these fishes are mutating by having immature egg cells growing in their testes.
Disposal of the pharmaceutical waste and compounds like birth control pills and pesticides into the rivers is causing this change. Alaska’s Yukon River is the only river on earth where biologist haven’t noticed these change.
All the other areas where bass is found have reported the mutations. This is also affecting the aquatic life adversely as other fishes are also undergoing mutation due to the toxic dumps.
4. Moray eels
Not all Moray eels are capable of changing their genders. Most of them are born either with male or female reproductive organs and stays like this forever. But there are few species of moray eels such as ribbon moray who born with male reproductive organs.
However, with time as they become mature, their body starts to grow eggs thus they change their sex from male to female and lives like this for the rest of their life. But this happens only with a few lucky eels.
One thing to note is that all the male eels change their gender after a certain age and it’s not about who is bigger.
5. Banana slugs
They got this name because of their bright yellow color and 10-inch long body. These worm-like creatures are also hermaphrodites, they naturally born with both the male and female reproductive organs.
These gender-bending animals can use both the male and female reproductive organs at the same time that makes them capable of self-fertilization. But they still prefer to mate with a partner. During the mating season, after finding a partner these two slugs curls around each other. Both use their male genitals to fertilize each other’s eggs.
Which means after sex they both get pregnant. That’s some crazy sex for sure. And I am sure ladies would love it if it starts happening with human beings.
Also Read: This Personality Test Picture Can Reveal How Creative You Are
6. Butterflies
The term gender-bending animals don’t only consist of animals that can change their sex. There are creatures like birds and butterflies, in which this gender split is visible from the outside.
Although this will not happen with all the butterflies, some of the most beautiful butterflies are portraying the colors and behavior of both the male and female. These butterflies aren’t easily found and for the same reason, many people don’t know that butterflies have this trait.
Their dual-gender traits are called gynandromorphism, which is a rare biological error that occurs because of immature cell development.
7. Frogs
Around the world, scientists are noticing the gender change that is occurring in frogs. As they are finding more and more cases of frogs with their changed gender. Out in nature, they have found many frogs who have switched their gender from a male to a female.
Unfortunately, this is all not natural, a common weed killer called atrazine is the cause of this gender change in frogs. It has been banned in Europe as it is messing with the gender of the frogs.
This is something that can be blamed on the adaptive traits of a frog which is getting amplified to the extent of gender change because of external factors.
In Conclusion:
Being gay is not really an issue, nature will love you equally whether you are a gay or straight man or woman. These are the 7 gender-bending animals that exist in nature. It doesn’t matter if you are a male or female, nature will always love you equally.
