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Biology

Reproductive Strategies of Sequential Hermaphroditism in Coral Reef Fish

Quick fact

In many protogynous reef fish, such as wrasses and parrotfish, the largest female in a social group transforms into a male when the dominant male disappears, sometimes within a few days.

Why this is interesting

Imagine a fish that starts life as a female and later becomes a male—or vice versa. How could such a radical change be a winning evolutionary strategy?