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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle

Why aren’t more animals hermaphrodites?

Pair of garden snails mating
Most land snails have both male and female sexual organs. Photograph: Giancarlo Restuccia/Getty Images

Why aren’t more animals hermaphrodites? Snails and worms seem to have been successful using that method for sharing genes between any two individuals, but vertebrates evolved away from it. Why? Janet Lesley, Kent, UK

Post your answers (and new questions) below or send them to nq@theguardian.com. A selection will be published next Sunday.


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