Sex Determination and Mating Strategies of the Bluehead Wrasse, Thalassoma bifasciatum: A Role-play Simulation

 

Karen L. Haberman

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2014, Volume 35

Abstract

This lab explores key concepts in animal behavior, including the proximate and ultimate causes of behavior, phenotypic plasticity, and female choice. Students conduct role-play simulations of competitive and mating interactions of the bluehead wrasse, Thalassoma bifasciatum, a coral reef fish with socially-mediated determination of initial sex and of female-to-male sex reversal. Four distinct scenarios simulate wrasse mating on differently sized reefs as well as with and without female choice. Students calculate the reproductive success among fish with differing strategies for the four scenarios and develop proximate and ultimate hypotheses related to initial sex ratios and female-to-male sex reversal.

Keywords:  animal behavior, coral reefs, wrasse, sex behavior, mating strategies, sex reversal, role-play

University of Calgary (2013)