FishHermaphroditism
From coraldigest
Hermaphroditism in Fish
Protogyny
- Sex change from female to male
- Displayed as normal part of life history in 14 fish families, including wrasses and parrotfishes[1]
Protandry
- Sex change from male to female; less common than protogyny
- Observed in 8 different families of fish; coral reef examples including porgies, damselfishes, and moray eels[1]
Sequential Hermaphroditism
- Sequential hermaphrodites function as one gender and then switch to the other, often as a result of changing population dynamics [2]
Size Advantage Model
- Large males have higher mating success than smaller males; size less important for females
- Can be beneficial to start as a female and then become a male once a large enough size is reached to maximize mating ability [1]
Common Hermaphroditism in Wrasses and Parrotfishes
- Dominant male defends group of female fish from other males; only dominant male mates with multiple females (polygny)
- When dominant male dies, largest female in harem changes sex and becomes the new dominant male (sequential hermaphroditism) [3]
Simultaneous Hermaphroditism
- Simultaneous hermaphrodites have both female and male gender roles at the same time [2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Warner, Richard R. "Mating Behavior and Hermaphroditism in Coral Reef Fishes." American Scientist 72.2 (1984): 128-36. Web.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Sumich, James L. An Introduction to the Biology of Marine Life, Seventh Edition. WCB/McGraw Hill. 1999.
- ↑ Hixon, M.A. "Coral Reef Fishes." Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences 2 (2009): 655-59. Web.