Protogynous Sequential Hermaphroditism May Be Favored Because When Large, the Individual

Question

Protogynous sequential hermaphroditism may be favored because when large, the individual
A) Will produce more offspring if it makes eggs
B) Can compete successfully against other females for nesting sites
C) Can compete successfully against other males for mates
D) None of the above

Accepted Answer

Protogynous sequential hermaphroditism, where an organism starts life as a female and later changes to a male, may be favored because larger individuals can compete more successfully against other males for mates. This reproductive strategy maximizes the reproductive output over the organism's lifetime by taking advantage of the fact that larger size is often an advantage in male-male competition for mates.