What is the Difference Between Primary and Secondary Sexual Characteristics?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚Primary and secondary sexual characteristics refer to specific physical traits that set apart males and females in sexually dimorphic species, such as humans. These characteristics are influenced by hormones and play a role in sexual reproduction and mate attraction.
Primary sexual characteristics are present at birth and are directly involved in reproduction. These include:
- In males: penis, scrotum, and the ability to ejaculate when matured.
- In females: vulva, vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, cervix, and the ability to give birth and menstruate when matured.
Secondary sexual characteristics, on the other hand, are features that are not directly concerned with reproduction. These emerge during puberty and are influenced by sex hormones produced by the body after the initial fetal development. Examples of secondary sex characteristics include:
- In males: voice quality, facial hair, and body hair.
- In females: breast size, body shape, and pubic hair.
In summary, primary sexual characteristics are those that are present at birth and are directly involved in reproduction, while secondary sexual characteristics emerge during puberty and are not directly involved in reproduction but play a role in mate attraction and species recognition.
Comparative Table: Primary vs Secondary Sexual Characteristics
The table below outlines the differences between primary and secondary sexual characteristics:
| Characteristic | Primary Sexual Characteristics | Secondary Sexual Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Inborn characteristics present at birth, such as reproductive organs. | Characteristics that develop during puberty, such as facial hair and mammary glands. |
| Examples | Penis, scrotum, and testes in males; vulva, vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries in females. | Growth of facial hair in males; development of mammary glands and wider hips in females. |
| Controlled by | Hormones produced during fetal development. | Hormones produced during puberty. |
| Role | Essential for sexual reproduction. | Important for attracting a mate, protection, or improving the individual's chances of survival. |
Primary sexual characteristics are determined by chromosomes' influence on hormones in utero for mammals and are present at birth. In contrast, secondary sexual characteristics develop during puberty and are controlled by hormones produced during puberty. While primary sexual characteristics are essential for sexual reproduction, secondary sexual characteristics play a role in attracting a mate, providing protection, or improving the individual's chances of survival.
- Primary vs Secondary Hypogonadism
- Primary vs Secondary Infertility
- Primary vs Secondary Socialization
- Primary vs Secondary Growth
- Primary Secondary vs Tertiary Follicle
- Primordial Follicle vs Primary Follicle
- Primary Education vs Secondary Education
- Primary vs Secondary Osteoporosis
- Body Cells vs Primary Reproductive Cells
- Male vs Female Reproductive System
- Primary vs Secondary Deviance
- Primary vs Secondary Minerals
- Male vs Female
- Natural Selection vs Sexual Selection
- Sexual vs Asexual
- Sex vs Gender
- Sex vs Gender
- Gender vs Sexuality
- Secondary Oocyte vs Ovum