Sex change in teleost fishes is commonly regulated by social factors. In species that exhibit protogynous sex change, such as the orange-spotted grouper Epinephelus coioides, when the dominant males are removed from the social group, the most dominant female initiates sex change. The aim of this study was to determine the regulatory mechanisms of socially controlled sex change in Epinephelus coioides. We investigated the seasonal variation in social behaviours and sex change throughout the reproductive cycle of Epinephelus coioides, and defined the behaviour pattern of this fish during the establishment of a dominance hierarchy. The social behaviours and sex change in this fish were affected by season, and only occurred during the pre-breeding season and breeding season. Therefore, a series of sensory isolation experiments was conducted during the breeding season to determine the role of physical, visual, and olfactory cues in mediating socially controlled sex change. The results demonstrated that physical interactions between individuals in the social groups were crucial for the initiation and completion of sex change, whereas visual and olfactory cues alone were insufficient in stimulating sex change in dominant females. In addition, we propose that the steroid hormones 11-ketotestosterone and cortisol are involved in regulating the initiation of socially controlled sex change. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

中文翻译：

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物理相互作用促进原雌性橙斑石斑鱼的性别变化，Epinephelus coioides

硬骨鱼类的性别变化通常受社会因素的调节。在表现出原始性别变化的物种中，例如橙斑石斑鱼 Epinephelus coioides，当优势雄性从社会群体中移除时，最具优势的雌性会启动性别变化。本研究的目的是确定 Epinephelus coioides 中社会控制的性别变化的调节机制。我们调查了 Epinephelus coioides 整个生殖周期中社会行为和性别变化的季节性变化，并在建立优势等级期间定义了这种鱼的行为模式。该鱼的社会行为和性别变化受季节影响，仅发生在繁殖前期和繁殖期。所以，在繁殖季节进行了一系列感官隔离实验，以确定身体、视觉和嗅觉线索在调节社会控制的性别变化中的作用。结果表明，社会群体中个体之间的身体互动对于性别变化的开始和完成至关重要，而仅凭视觉和嗅觉线索不足以刺激占主导地位的女性的性别变化。此外，我们建议类固醇激素 11-酮睾酮和皮质醇参与调节社会控制性变化的启动。本文受版权保护。版权所有。结果表明，社会群体中个体之间的身体互动对于性别变化的开始和完成至关重要，而仅凭视觉和嗅觉线索不足以刺激占主导地位的女性的性别变化。此外，我们建议类固醇激素 11-酮睾酮和皮质醇参与调节社会控制性变化的启动。本文受版权保护。版权所有。结果表明，社会群体中个体之间的身体互动对于性别变化的开始和完成至关重要，而仅凭视觉和嗅觉线索不足以刺激占主导地位的女性的性别变化。此外，我们建议类固醇激素 11-酮睾酮和皮质醇参与调节社会控制性变化的启动。本文受版权保护。版权所有。本文受版权保护。版权所有。本文受版权保护。版权所有。