[AntonioLao]

Male and female characteristics of each species could be distinguished by pairs of sex chromosomes.

http://www.people.virginia.edu/~rjh9u/sexdet.html and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XY_sex-determination_system

As a seafood enthusiast, it is difficult to understand why the female blue crabs of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts are much more palatable than the male. As for the taste of chicken it is the preferred Cornish hen not Cornish roaster. For deer hunters, it is the doe meat that they are after although they also hunt buck as trophy for the mantle pieces. However, if x could smell y now, when it comes to olfactory senses as in perfume products, it is dominated by the males of the species. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perfume#Animal_source

[baudrunner]

It's not the least bit difficult to understand when one realizes that the hormones that predominate the male of the species encourage appreciation of the female of the species when it comes to preferred taste. Women just do what we tell them to.

[mkirkpatrick]

Could it not be that the feminine nature to nurture,to feed,is like a sacrfice,that
is offered out,and lends itself to taste better?
kind regards michael.

[harmonygirl]

Originally Posted by baudrunner It's not the least bit difficult to understand when one realizes that the hormones that predominate the male of the species encourage appreciation of the female of the species when it comes to preferred taste. Women just do what we tell them to.

SSSoooo difficult to resist comment! In many species it is actually the female that is the most active (and tells the men what to do), however, I really don't want to waste time in that old stand-by men v. women. (we usually win.)

[AntonioLao]

Statistical study of birthrates of opposite sexes seems to suggest that many, many years from now, the male species will become extinct that the Earth will be ruled by only women. Would that be the end of procreation?

[harmonygirl]

Antonio, perhaps those statistical studies were only of North America? Certainly this is not the case in India and China where female infanticide reduces gender birthrates to something like 3:80 (for every 80 boys born, there were 3 girls born). I don't see this changing anytime soon as it is premised on notions of the value of boys and devalue of girls.

[AntonioLao]

Originally Posted by harmonygirl Certainly this is not the case in India and China where female infanticide reduces gender birthrates to something like 3:80

Is this due to human intervention? Like abortion and other intentional destruction of the gestation cycle?

[harmonygirl]

yes, sex selective abortion is officially denied, but very common practice. In fact, I just read an article about Indian ex-pats returning to India to have sex-selective abortions. It is not officially denied in China. I cannot communicate to you how sad this makes me. The right to chose is sacred, but use of abortion in this way is just plain wrong (my two cents).

[AntonioLao]

Originally Posted by harmonygirl The right to chose is sacred, but use of abortion in this way is just plain wrong

I agree 100% with your statement straight from the heart without the rationality of the minded intellect.

[harmonygirl]

I realize I didn't respond to your initial query. If gender ratio was to take a nosedive and men were scarce (or completely absent), I do not believe it would mean the end of procreation. Reproductive technology allows for freezing of both sperm and egg.