Reproductive Behavior and Sexual Patterns in Two Cales, Heteroscarus acroptilus and Olisthops cyanomelas (Odacidae) at Rocky Reefs in Temperate Australia

Abstract

We investigated reproductive behavior and sexual patterns in two odacid fish—Rainbow cale Heteroscarus acroptilus and Herring cale Olisthops cyanomelas—inhabiting temperate reefs in Australia on the basis of underwater observations and histological studies. The males of both species established a territory and continuously courted females they encountered in the territory. The males and females went up in the water column to release gametes in pairs. We found ovarian cavities in the gonadal tissue of H. acroptilus males, suggesting that protogynous sex change occurred in this species. Dichromatism is reported in O. cyanomelas, with males having a dark blue body color while females have a brown body color; however, we found small mature males also included among brown individuals. Furthermore, we diagnosed O. cyanomelas with gonochorism, which is rare in closely related labrids. We compared the similarities and differences in reproductive behavior and sexual patterns between the two species and with labrids.