Evidence of Sexual Dichromatism in the Striped Mojarra (Eugerres plumieri, Gerreidae)

Martin C. Arostegui*

*Air–Sea Interaction and Remote Sensing Department, Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195; Current address - Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543.

Southeastern Naturalist, Volume 21, Issue 1 (2022): N19–N23

Abstract
Gerreid fishes are largely thought to not exhibit sexual dimorphism or dichromatism. I describe differences in coloration that may distinguish sexes of Eugerres plumieri (Striped Mojarra) based on observations of an aggregation of smaller, more darkly colored males courting a single, larger, less boldly colored female during spawning, This record highlights the potential for sex-specific external appearances to be more widespread within the family than previously recognized..

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