Sexual dimorphism
condition where the two sexes of the same species exhibit different characteristics beyond the differences in their sexual organs
Sexual dimorphism is the condition where different sexes of the same species exhibit different morphological characteristics, including characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most dioecious species, which consist of most animals and some plants. Differences may include secondary sex characteristics, size, weight, color, markings, or behavioral or cognitive traits. Male–male reproductive competition has evolved a diverse array of sexually dimorphic traits. Aggressive utility traits such as "battle" teeth and blunt heads reinforced as battering rams are used as weapons in aggressive interactions between rivals. Passive displays such as ornamental feathering or song-calling have also evolved mainly through sexual selection. These differences may be subtle or exaggerated and may be subjected to sexual selection and natural selection. The opposite of dimorphism is monomorphism, when both biological sexes are phenotypically indistinguishable from each other.
Reversed sexual dimorphism (RSD) is a condition where females of a species are larger or more ornamented than the males. Species prominently displaying RSD include raptors, spiders, the leopard seal, and certain waders; in waders, it is often combined with reversed sexual dichromatism and sex role reversal.
“Sexual dimorphism” enters the record as condition where the two sexes of the same species exhibit different characteristics beyond the differences in their sexual organs. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Sexual, dimorphism and condition can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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Stable identifiers, scientific names and standards terminology offer the best bridge between this overview and specialist evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 19, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q181497. The Library of Congress control number is sh85120726. 1 of 1 selected statements include explicit references; 0 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank.
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This entry incorporates text from “Sexual dimorphism” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.