A phylogenetic comparative analysis on the evolution of sequential hermaphroditism in seabreams (Teleostei: Sparidae).

ABSTRACT: The Sparids are an ideal group of fishes in which to study the evolution of sexual systems since they exhibit a great sexual diversity, from gonochorism (separate sexes) to protandrous (male-first) and protogynous (female-first) sequential hermaphroditism (sex change). According to the size-advantage model (SAM), selection should favour sex change when the second sex achieves greater reproductive success at a larger body size than the first sex. Using phylogenetic comparative methods and a sample of 68 sparid species, we show that protogyny and protandry evolve from gonochorism but evolutionary transitions between these two forms of sequential hermaphroditism are unlikely to happen. Using male gonadosomatic index (GSI) as a measure of investment in gametes and proxy for sperm competition,

SUBMITTER: Pla S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7046777 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature