Bi-directional sex change in coral reef fishes from the family Pseudochromidae: an experimental evaluation

Wittenrich, Matthew L., and Munday, Philip L. (2005) Bi-directional sex change in coral reef fishes from the family Pseudochromidae: an experimental evaluation. Zoological Science, 22 (7). pp. 797-803.

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Abstract

Coral reef fishes exhibit a diversity of hermaphroditic strategies and comparisons among species with different ecological characteristics will help identify the underlying basis of this complexity. We used manipulative experiments to test the potential for bi-directional sex change in three species of Pseudochromis (Pseudochromidae): P. flavivertex, P. aldabraensis and P. cyanotaenia. The first two species are sexually monochromatic, whereas, P. cyanotaenia is sexually dichromatic. For each species, where two functional females were kept together, one individual in the pair changed sex to male. Where two functional males were kept together, one individual in the pair changed sex to female. In all three species, functional sex change from male to female (52–93 days) took longer than sex change from female to male (18–56 days). In the sexually dichromatic species, P. cyanotaenia, colour change accompanied adult sex change. Females that changed sex to male took on the bright colouration of males and males that changed sex to female took on the drab colouration of females. These results indicate that bi-directional sex change is probably widespread in the family Pseudochromidae and cannot be predicted by the presence or absence of secondary sexual characteristics.

Item ID: 7274
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 0289-0003
Keywords: hermaphroditism; bi-directional sex change; sexual dimorphism; coral reef fish; Pseudochromidae
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Date Deposited: 03 Mar 2010 04:17
FoR Codes: 06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0602 Ecology > 060205 Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl Marine Ichthyology) @ 50%
06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0699 Other Biological Sciences > 069999 Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified @ 50%
SEO Codes: 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9608 Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity > 960802 Coastal and Estuarine Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity @ 100%
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