noun
- Plural of heterogamety; the condition or process in which an organism produces two different types of gametes with respect to sex chromosomes, typically resulting in the determination of offspring sex.
Usage: biology; genetics; technical term
Examples
- In mammals, male heterogameties produce either X or Y sperm, determining the sex of offspring.
- The heterogameties of the XY sex-determination system differ from those of the ZW system found in birds.
- Heterogameties in certain insects lead to distinct sex ratios in populations.
- Understanding heterogameties is essential for studying inheritance patterns in sexually reproducing organisms.