Out of the following which one is not a hermaphrodite?

The correct answer is Option (4) → Cockroach

A hermaphrodite has both male and female reproductive organs in one individual.

Option (1) Sponge — A hermaphrodite.

Option (2) Earthworm — A hermaphrodite. Yet cross-fertilisation takes place.

Option (3) Leech — A hermaphrodite.

Option (4) Cockroach — Not a hermaphrodite. Male and female cockroaches are separate individuals: it is unisexual.

Note: This question is from Chapter 1, Reproduction in Organisms, of the pre-rationalised NCERT book. This chapter is not in the present NCERT book (2026-27). The extract below is from the pre-rationalised edition.

NCERT Extract (Pre-rationalised edition, Chapter 1, Reproduction in Organisms):
Gametogenesis – “… In several fungi and plants, terms such as homothallic and monoecious are used to denote the bisexual condition and heterothallic and dioecious are the terms used to describe unisexual condition. In flowering plants, the unisexual male flower is staminate, i.e., bearing stamens, while the female is pistillate or bearing pistils. In some flowering plants, both male and female flowers may be present on the same individual (monoecious) or on separate individuals (dioecious). Some examples of monoecious plants are cucurbits and coconuts and of dioecious plants are papaya and date palm. … Earthworms, (Figure 1.6 a) sponge, tapeworm and leech, typical examples of bisexual animals that possess both male and female reproductive organs, are hermaphrodites. Cockroach (Figure 1.6b) is an example of a unisexual species.”