Reproduction

Hermaphroditic

Carrying both sexes - either at the same time, or by changing from one to the other partway through life, as clownfish and most wrasses do.

A hermaphrodite carries both male and female function - either at once, or one after the other. On a coral reef it is a common arrangement rather than an oddity, and it comes in three distinct versions worth telling apart.

Simultaneous. Both sexes at the same time. Two animals meeting can fertilize each other, which doubles the value of every encounter - the reason it is standard among sea slugs, flatworms and other slow-moving animals that may not meet a partner often.

Protandrous - male first, female later. Clownfish are the textbook case: the largest fish in an anemone is the female, the second largest the breeding male, and if the female dies he becomes her. Body size decides, because egg production rewards size far more than sperm production does.

Protogynous - female first, male later. The arrangement of most wrasses, parrotfish and groupers, where one large male controls a group of females and the largest female takes his place when he goes. The change is not cosmetic: coloration, behavior and the gonad itself are rebuilt, often within days.

The contrasting term is gonochoric - separate sexes, fixed for life.

Found in66

Anthias
Anthias
Groupers
Groupers
Opisthobranchia
Opisthobranchia
Sandperch
Sandperch
Threadfin breams
Threadfin breams
Wrasse
Wrasse
Arabian Angelfish
Arabian Angelfish
Pomacanthus asfur
Areolate Grouper
Areolate Grouper
Epinephelus areolatus
Bicolor Parrotfish
Bicolor Parrotfish
Cetoscarus bicolor
Black-mouth Ascidian
Black-mouth Ascidian
Ascidia melanostoma
Blackbordered Dascyllus
Blackbordered Dascyllus
Dascyllus marginatus
Blackeye Thicklip Wrasse
Blackeye Thicklip Wrasse
Hemigymnus melapterus
Blackside Hawkfish
Blackside Hawkfish
Paracirrhites forsteri
Blackspot Emperor
Blackspot Emperor
Lethrinus harak
Blackstripe Wrasse
Blackstripe Wrasse
Oxycheilinus arenatus
Blacktip Grouper
Blacktip Grouper
Epinephelus fasciatus
Brick Ascidian
Brick Ascidian
Eusynstyela latericius
Bullethead Parrotfish
Bullethead Parrotfish
Chlorurus sordidus
Camel Cowfish
Camel Cowfish
Tetrosomus gibbosus
Camouflage Grouper
Camouflage Grouper
Epinephelus polyphekadion
Candelamoa Parrotfish
Candelamoa Parrotfish
Hipposcarus harid
Candycane shrimp
Candycane shrimp
Parhippolyte misticia
Clark’s Wrasse
Clark’s Wrasse
Pteragogus clarkae
Common Parrotfish
Common Parrotfish
Scarus psittacus
Coral Snapping Shrimp
Coral Snapping Shrimp
Alpheus lottini
Daisy Parrotfish
Daisy Parrotfish
Chlorurus sordidus
Divided Flatworm
Divided Flatworm
Pseudoceros dimidiatus
Dusky Parrotfish
Dusky Parrotfish
Scarus niger
Dusky Wrasse
Dusky Wrasse
Halichoeres marginatus
Ember Parrotfish
Ember Parrotfish
Scarus rubroviolaceus
Fluted Giant Clam
Fluted Giant Clam
Tridacna squamosa
Geometric Moray
Geometric Moray
Gymnothorax griseus
Giant Clam
Giant Clam
Tridacna maxima
Giant Rock Barnacle
Giant Rock Barnacle
Megabalanus tintinnabulum
Goldstriped Seabream
Goldstriped Seabream
Rhabdosargus sarba
Greasy Grouper
Greasy Grouper
Epinephelus tauvina
Heavybeak Parrotfish
Heavybeak Parrotfish
Chlorurus gibbus
Jorunna cf. Parva
Jorunna cf. Parva
Jorunna cf. parva
King Soldierbream
King Soldierbream
Argyrops spinifer
Lyretail Anthias
Lyretail Anthias
Pseudanthias squamipinnis
Malabar Grouper
Malabar Grouper
Epinephelus malabaricus
Manyspine Angelfish
Manyspine Angelfish
Centropyge multispinis
Marble Shrimp
Marble Shrimp
Saron marmoratus
Mariaglaja Tsurugensis
Mariaglaja Tsurugensis
Mariaglaja tsurugensis
Moon Wrasse
Moon Wrasse
Thalassoma lunare
Napoleon Wrasse
Napoleon Wrasse
Cheilinus undulatus
Orange-Striped Emperor
Orange-Striped Emperor
Lethrinus obsoletus
Oriental Wrasse
Oriental Wrasse
Oxycheilinus orientalis
Picnic Seabream
Picnic Seabream
Acanthopagrus berda
Pixie Hawkfish
Pixie Hawkfish
Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus
Potato Grouper
Potato Grouper
Epinephelus tukula
Red Sea Ribbon Worm
Red Sea Ribbon Worm
Mesochaetopterus rogeri
Rusty Parrotfish
Rusty Parrotfish
Scarus ferrugineus
Sebae Clownfish
Sebae Clownfish
Amphiprion sebae
Sheep's Foot Ascidian
Sheep's Foot Ascidian
Polycarpa mytiligera
Slender Emperor
Slender Emperor
Lethrinus variegatus
Slingjaw Wrasse
Slingjaw Wrasse
Epibulus insidiator
Speckled Sandperch
Speckled Sandperch
Parapercis hexophtalma
Squaretail Coralgrouper
Squaretail Coralgrouper
Plectropomus areolatus
Squretail Rabbitfish
Squretail Rabbitfish
Siganus luridus
Stocky Hawkfish
Stocky Hawkfish
Cirrhitus pinnulatus
Surge Wrasse
Surge Wrasse
Thalassoma purpureum
Tiger Grouper
Tiger Grouper
Epinephelus fuscoguttatus
Yellow-breasted Wrasse
Yellow-breasted Wrasse
Anampses twistii
Yellowbar Angelfish
Yellowbar Angelfish
Pomacanthus maculosus
Zigzag Wrasse
Zigzag Wrasse
Halichoeres scapularis
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