▲ 0 r/evolution
Some Questions for Evolutionary Biologists/Evolutionary Development biologists
- In evolutionary biology (or evolutionary developmental biology), is there any meaningful way to think of males in humans or other anisogamous species as a “secondary” sex?
- More generally, do biologists recognize any real distinction between a “primary” and “secondary” sex, or is that terminology considered too vague or misleading?
- Is there any serious scientific argument that treats females as the “primary” sex because they gestate and give birth, or is that idea mostly outside mainstream biological thinking?
- In species that experience menopause—especially humans and a few other mammals—does menopause change how biologists think about the roles of the two sexes, or is it usually studied as a separate evolutionary issue, such as one involving kin selection or life-history theory?
- I’ve sometimes seen males compared to “drones,” like the reproductive males in eusocial insects that have a relatively narrow biological role. Do evolutionary biologists consider this analogy useful in any meaningful way when discussing non-eusocial species, including humans?
u/Current_Wear_8061 — 24 hours ago