View source for Sexing

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Short description|Identification of the sex of animals}}
{{About|sex discernment in non-human animals|humans|Determination of sex}}
{{Distinguish|Sexting}}
{{refimprove|date=July 2018}}
'''Sexing''' or '''gender identification'''<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ammer |first1=F. K. |last2=Wood|first2= P. B. |last3=McPherson|first3= R. J. |year=2008 |title=Gender Identification of Grasshopper Sparrows Comparing Behavioral, Morphological, and Molecular Techniques |journal=[[The Wilson Journal of Ornithology]] |volume=120 |issue=1 |pages=221–225 |doi=10.1676/07-002.1}}</ref> is the process of determining the sex of an individual animal. Through sexing, [[biologist]]s and [[agricultural]] workers determine the [[sex]] of [[livestock]] and other animals they work with. The specialized trade of [[chicken sexing]] has a particular importance in the [[poultry]] industry.
The sex of [[mammal]]s can often be determined using [[sexual dimorphism|sexually dimorphic]] characteristics.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Kunz |first1=Thomas H. |first2=Chris|last2= Wemmer |first3=Virginia |last3=Hayssen |title=Measuring and monitoring biological diversity: standard methods for mammals |editor1-last=Wilson |editor1-first=DE |editor2-last=Cole |editor2-first=FR |editor3-last=Nichols |editor3-first=JD |editor4-last=Rudran |editor4-first=R. |editor5-last=Foster |editor5-first=MS |publisher=Smithsonian Institution Press |location=Washington, DC |year=1996 |pages=279–290 |chapter=Sex, age, and reproductive condition of mammals|url=http://www.bu.edu/cecb/files/2009/08/sexagereproductive1996.pdf}}</ref> Assisted physical sexing is relevant in vertebrates with [[cloaca]]e (e.g. [[birds]], [[reptiles]] or [[amphibians]]) when there is no external [[sexual dimorphism]]. In veterinary practice, [[Fiberscope|fibroscopy]] is used under [[general anaesthesia]] in birds such as [[parrots]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Satterfield |first=William C. |date=1990-09-01 |title=Avian Endoscopy |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195561690503095 |journal=Veterinary Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice |language=en |volume=20 |issue=5 |pages=1353–1367 |doi=10.1016/S0195-5616(90)50309-5 |pmid=2238375 |issn=0195-5616}}</ref>
'''Molecular sexing''' is a set of techniques that use [[DNA]] for determining sex in wild or domestic species<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Fernando |first1=Prithiviraj |first2=Don J. |last2=Melnick |title=Molecular sexing eutherian mammals |journal=Molecular Ecology Notes |volume=1 |issue=4 |year=2001 |pages=350–353|doi=10.1046/j.1471-8278.2001.00112.x |url=http://www.academia.edu/download/46203707/Molecular_sexing_eutherian_mammals20160603-29817-68kphp.pdf}}{{dead link|date=January 2024}}</ref> (population studies, farming, genetics) or humans (archaeology, forensic medicine<ref>{{Cite web |title=forensic medicine {{!}} Definition & Facts |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/forensic-medicine |access-date=2022-10-20 |website=Britannica  |language=en}}</ref>). Markers commonly used include [[amelogenin]], [[SRY]] and [[ZFX]]/[[ZFY]]. Various techniques have been developed using simple [[polymerase chain reaction]] product size [[Sexual dimorphism|dimorphism]], presence/absence, [[Restriction enzyme|restriction]] dimorphism, or even sequencing.
== See also ==
* [[Chick sexing]]
* [[Nuclear sexing]]
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
[[Category:Sexual dimorphism]]
[[Category:Livestock]]
{{Biology-stub}}
{{Agri-stub}}