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A review of sexuality in the Sparidae shows that protandrous, protogynous, simultaneous and rudimentary hermaphroditism have all been reported in the family. Careful histological study shows that even in those species reputed to have separate sexes, intersexuality is found in the juvenile condition. We suggest that two reproductive styles, sex change and late gonochorism are found in the family. The bi-potentiality of the sparid gonad is considered to be a pre-adaptation for the development of sequential hermaphroditism in species in which reproductive success is size related. In these species sex change is an alternative reproductive style that enables individuals to maximise their lifetime reproductive success by functioning as one sex when small and the other sex when large.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	Protogyny - Protandry - Rudimentary hermaphroditism - Sex change - Gonochorism - Gonads - Fishes
Research Division:	Agricultural and Veterinary Sciences
Research Group:	Fisheries Sciences
Research Field:	Fisheries Sciences not elsewhere classified
Objective Division:	Expanding Knowledge
Objective Group:	Expanding Knowledge
Objective Field:	Expanding Knowledge in the Environmental Sciences
Author:	Buxton, CD (Professor Colin Buxton)
ID Code:	48443
Year Published:	1990
Web of Science® Times Cited:	124
Deposited By:	TAFI - Marine Research Laboratory
Deposited On:	2007-08-01
Last Modified:	2009-11-10
Downloads:	32 View Download Statistics