PUB - Publikationen an der Universität Bielefeld

The widespread occurrence of hermaphroditism reminds us that the evolution of anisogamy (sperm and eggs) should not be conflated with the evolution of separate-sexed individuals (males and females). Whenever the two sex functions are combined within a single individual, either sequentially or simultaneously, this can have important consequences for the evolutionary biology of sex. These include (i) for sex allocation, to optimally direct resources into male vs. female reproduction; (ii) for sexual selection, and associated sexual conflicts between sperm donors and sperm recipients; and (iii) because it opens up the possibility of self-fertilisation.