# Hermaphrodite ackie



## geckodan (Nov 18, 2007)

I've been confused by this ackie for soome time but it all became clear today. Appearance wise it was always a masculine animal but on x ray it had no ossified hemibaculum (hemipenal bones) so sexed as a female. In the presence of a confirmed smaller male it both mated the male and was mated by the male. This week I put it with a more appropriated sized male. They mated a few times and then the new male became quite aggressive. I came home tonight to a dead monitor.
The post mortem revealed the problem - both testes and ovaries. Poor thing didn't know if it was Arthur or Martha.
BEFORE






AFTER


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## nutta (Nov 18, 2007)

thats some wacked stuff there mate


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## junglepython2 (Nov 18, 2007)

Incredible. How often is this documented if ever in reptiles?


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## Nephrurus (Nov 18, 2007)

Good post Danny. Very interesting.... have you come across this in any other reptiles?


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## geckodan (Nov 18, 2007)

first for me


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## Nephrurus (Nov 18, 2007)

Are these wild caught animals? Is that some parasite action on those large dark areas?

-H


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## Kyro (Nov 18, 2007)

Wow that is really interesting Dan.Our dog Nelly was born a hermaphrodite & when the vet opened her up to find out what was going on he found that she had male parts growing out of her female parts & testes where her ovaries should have been.After lot's of re-wiring of her bit's she's totally fine & the vet says she is now a female of sorts


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## geckodan (Nov 18, 2007)

Nephrurus said:


> Are these wild caught animals? Is that some parasite action on those large dark areas?
> 
> -H



no just flash reflection over the boundary of the liver (I checked the other pics I took)


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## ari (Nov 18, 2007)

Damn Hermaphrodites.....bonus for some.....death for others hey.

So was the death based on possessing both sex organs which has caused complications, or other reasons?


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## spongebob (Nov 18, 2007)

Was it killed by the larger male or died as a result of it's gender conflict?


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## lynfrog (Nov 18, 2007)

great to see the pics, dan. hermaphrodites well documented in humans, hadnt considered it in reptiles or animals. a shame it died. could you make a guess about whether it could have carried eggs?


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## Nephrurus (Nov 18, 2007)

geckodan said:


> no just flash reflection over the boundary of the liver (I checked the other pics I took)



I was referring to the big wormy looking yellow thing that sits on the left hand side of the lower liver lobe. Is that what you were talking about?

-H


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## geckodan (Nov 18, 2007)

Nephrurus said:


> I was referring to the big wormy looking yellow thing that sits on the left hand side of the lower liver lobe. Is that what you were talking about?
> 
> -H



Yep, I had the other pics I took to be sure.


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## geckodan (Nov 18, 2007)

ari said:


> Damn Hermaphrodites.....bonus for some.....death for others hey.
> 
> So was the death based on possessing both sex organs which has caused complications, or other reasons?



Bit of both. Once the big male realised she was a he, he ripped his/her head off. Fairly serious complication really.


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## ari (Nov 19, 2007)

God thats no good......similar in humans I guess....that is.... the reaction.


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## jordo (Nov 19, 2007)

Great post, very interesting.
Were there ever any successful mating from it?


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## Inkslinger (Nov 19, 2007)

Must be the week for it at vets he is doing routine spaying opened the bitch up and she had all the male organs, her out look is a bit better than the monitors though.


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## dragon lady (Nov 19, 2007)

HOW DEVESTATING!!!!, one could say that maybe some males are not agressive could be they are in company of a herm... oh boy , that is a new can of worms....& so sorry for your loss


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## JasonL (Nov 19, 2007)

did it have hemipenes?


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## geckodan (Nov 19, 2007)

JasonL said:


> did it have hemipenes?



yes, but no hemipenal bones


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## m.punja (Nov 19, 2007)

thats terrible. it's a very sad outcome, I've been having ackie drama's at the moment, but no deaths. At the same time i can't help but think of the big male who just found out his girl is a dude and really done something about it. I bet he'd be upset to find out the hole world knows his secret


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## salebrosus (Nov 19, 2007)

Bloody Hell Danny that is bizarre, poor animal though.

Simone.


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