Sarah Knapton, science
editor
23 OCTOBER 2017 • 12:01AM
Mating is never easy when you have an
unsightly bulbous appendage protruding from your head.
But the male Asian Sheepshead Wrasse has even
greater problems to contend with.
The female wrasse is endowed with the
extraordinary ability to unexpectedly switch gender, a change which not only
scuppers any burgeoning relationship with the male but also creates another
headache for him - a new love rival.
The gender-bending ability of the wrasse has
been captured in detail for the first time for BBC Blue Planet II which
airs on Sunday.
Scientists believe the female wrasse makes
the switch because she can pass on more genes as a male, although it is unclear
why some change while others remain female.
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