Synonyms
Definition
Chromosomal composition of an individual’s progeny
Introduction
Offspring sex refers to the chromosomal composition of an individual’s progeny. In humans and most other mammals, this is determined by the joint contribution of either an X- or a Y chromosome-bearing sperm from a father and the X chromosome-bearing ovum from a mother. Males possess both an X and a Y chromosome, whereas females possess two X chromosomes. Offspring sex can be influenced both pre- and postconception, and this is affected by many biological and environmental factors. Evolutionary theory predicts that parents may be able to adjust the sexes of their offspring. Although the exact mechanism for this remains unknown, several physiological, psychological, and environmental factors have been implicated.
Facultative Adjustment of Offspring Sex
Sex ratio, or the ratio of the number of males to the number of females within a population, can be considered...
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References
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Palmer-Hague, J. (2016). Offspring Sex. In: Weekes-Shackelford, V., Shackelford, T., Weekes-Shackelford, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Evolutionary Psychological Science. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1913-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16999-6_1913-1
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