When males and females of a species look different on the outside, scientists call it sexual dimorphism (dye-MOR-fiz-um), which means "two forms." Lots of animals have it, including people. Not all herps do. In some species you can tell male from female at a glance from across the yard. In others, even a scientist with a measuring tool would have to study hundreds of animals before making a good guess. The differences can be in overall size, head shape, tail length or thickness, claw length, eye color, skin color, and more. Some clues work for only one species. Others hold true across hundreds of them.
This lesson is part of Certified Junior Herpetologist. Enrollment is self-paced, with no deadline to finish (about 30 hours).
