Synonyms
Definition
A reproductive system where individuals mature as males, but may reproduce as females later in life.
Introduction
In most animals, “males” and “females” are distinct classes of individuals that specialize in the production of sperm and eggs, respectively. However, a substantial minority of species are hermaphrodites, meaning that a single individual can produce both eggs and sperm, either simultaneously or at different stages of its life. “Protandrous” hermaphrodites begin their reproductive lives as males, but reproduce as females later in life.
Two examples help to illustrate (Fig.1). Anemonefish live in small territorial groups, where reproduction and sex change are determined by a strict dominance hierarchy (Munday et al.2006). The largest individual in the group is a breeding female, the second-largest is a breeding male, and all smaller individuals are nonbreeding males. If the female dies or is removed, then the...
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References
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Authors and Affiliations
Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
Jonathan M. Henshaw
- Jonathan M. Henshaw
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Correspondence toJonathan M. Henshaw.
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Oakland University , Rochester, Michigan, USA
Jennifer Vonk
Department of Psychology, Oakland University Department of Psychology, Rochester, Michigan, USA
Todd Shackelford
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Laboratory of Comparative Ethology, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Poolesville, MD, USA
Annika Paukner
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Henshaw, J.M. (2018). Protandrous Hermaphroditism. In: Vonk, J., Shackelford, T. (eds) Encyclopedia of Animal Cognition and Behavior. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-47829-6_1972-1
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