The stony coral Fimbriaphyllia (Euphyllia) ancora's reproductive strategy involves a sex change every year.

ABSTRACT: A sex change phenomenon was reported in some free-living, non-sessile coral species of the Family Fungiidae. However, there are no reports describing sex change in sessile colonial species. Timing and cellular processes of sex change are also unclear in corals. Here, we report sex change of the colonial coral, Fimbriaphyllia ancora, and its cellular process. Of 26 colonies monitored at Nanwan Bay, southern Taiwan, about 70% changed their sex every year after annual spawning for least 3-4 consecutive years, i.e., colonies that were male two years ago became female last year, and male again this year. The remaining 30% were permanently male or female. Sex-change and non-sex-change colonies grew in close proximity or even side-by-side. No significant differences were found in colony size betw

SUBMITTER: Shikina S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11377712 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature