Protogynous Hermaphroditism in Paralabrax maculatofasciatus (Pisces: Serranidae)

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Abstract
The spotted sandbass, Paralabrax maculatofasciatus, was determined to be a protogynous hermaphrodite based on the presence of three transitional individuals (with developing testicular and regressing ovarian tissues), the location of the sperm sinus of males within the lateral gonadal walls, and the presence of a gonadal lumen in males. Also the size/sex distribution was typical of a protogynous hermaphrodite; all individuals smaller than 92 mm were immature females, and females were on average smaller than males. The presence of small males, only slightly larger than the smalles mature females, indicates that prematurational sex change may occur in some individuals. Although the kelp bass, P. clathratus, has been reported to be separate-sexed, it resembles P. maculatofasciatus in gonad morphology, and the two species share the unique serranid trait of having a columnar epithelium bordering the testicular lamellae.

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