School of sea goldies in a coral reef with feather stars, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, Australia
© Gary Bell/Minden Picture
A goldie gala
It's ladies' night at the Great Barrier Reef. Boasting bright orange-pink colouration, this school of sea goldies appears to be all-female. But that could change quickly – sea goldies are protogynous hermaphrodites, meaning that when there aren't enough fellas around, the largest females change sexes to become male, turning purplish and growing even larger. All goldies are born female, but those that switch to males enjoy instantly better odds at mating time. For every male goldie there are up to 10 females.
Related Images
Atlantic spotted dolphins near Santa Maria Island, Azores, Portugal
Manatee in Crystal River, Florida, United States
Group of giant cuttlefish in Spencer Gulf, off Whyalla, South Australia
Humpback whale mother and calf, Tonga
Crescent-tail bigeye fish in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia
California sea lion in a forest of giant kelp, Baja California, Mexico
Mototi octopus, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia
Dolphin pod near Réunion island, Indian Ocean, overseas department of France
Today on Bing
Bathing huts on the beach in Skåne County, Sweden
Jul 28, 2024
San Blas Islands, Panama
Jul 28, 2023
Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Jul 28, 2022
Hamelin Pool Marine Nature Reserve in Australia
Jul 28, 2020
