How reef fish may use the moon's cycle to manipulate the sex of their offspring
How reef fish may use the moon's cycle to manipulate the sex of their offspring
For some fish, being born close to a new moon increases the chances they will develop as male, while female offspring are more likely when the moon is full, a new study has found.
While sixbar parents spawning on a new moon are taking a high-stakes gamble on their progeny's survival, the study suggests it could be something of a calculated risk.
"Most of these babies won't survive, but the few that do are more likely to become male and that's akin to winning the lottery as males can produce many more offspring in the sixbar mating system.
I wonder if the fish are consciously aware of the fact and choose to try and spawn at those time or if it's just natural. We probably are also influenced by many things when mating and completely unaware of it.