Category: Fish
This common species is one of the most familiar species of the Squalidae family. It is found nearly worldwide and tends to inhabit shallow, temperate waters. It is a commercially valuable species and is a popular food in many parts of the world. Dogfish and their byproducts are also used for fertilizer, liver oil, dissection specimens, and pet food – unfortunately, this popularity has led to major declines in dogfish population due to unsustainable fishing practices.
ABC. It’s easy as Protandry
The largest, most aggressive female anemonefish rules the roost - she is the dominant member of the social group, and with one breeding male, the only one who reproduces. In anemonefish society, everybody knows where they stand in the hierarchy! So when she leaves the group, everybody moves up one spot - including the largest, most aggressive male, who undergoes a sex change to become the leader (and breeding female) of the group. While undergoing a sex change might sound drastic to humans, it is actually not all that uncommon in other species. Many do it, either naturally or due to environmental factors: fish, invertebrates, amphibians, some reptiles, even the occasional chicken!
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