Ovulation does not constrain egg parcel size in the simultaneous hermaphrodite Serranus subligarius

Among egg trading hermaphrodites, any factor which limits the number of eggs released by a female role hermaphrodite can potentially limit the mating success of the male role hermaphrodite fertilizing those eggs. This work examines the hypothesis that the timing of ovulation constrains the size of egg parcels and thereby limits male mating success in the egg parceling hermaphroditic fish Serranus subligarius. Two alternatives were evaluated: (1) Ovulation is a discrete event preceding spawning. It does not constrain the size of egg parcels and therefore does not limit mating success of male role partners. (2) Ovulation is an incremental process occurring throughout the spawning period. It limits the number of eggs available for release in each parcel and thereby limits mating success of the male role partner. Assessment of ovulation was conducted in a field stock of S. subligarius. Fish from size matched pairs were manually stripped at the onset of the spawning period or quarantined and sampled at the end of the spawning period. Fish sampled at either time point had the same number of eggs, suggesting that ovulation was a discrete event occurring at the onset of the spawning period. The diurnal cycle of ovulation was observed in naturally spawning hermaphrodites captured at intervals throughout the day. Ovulation began 2–4 h before spawning began. Some fish appeared to ovulate the entire day's clutch of eggs before spawning, while other fish released egg parcels before completing ovulation. I conclude that the pattern of ovulation is not uniform throughout the spawning stock. Because of the variability in timing of ovulation relative to parcel release, ovulation does not consistently limit the size of egg parcels and therefore is unlikely to be a physiological limit to male role mating success in S. subligarius hermaphrodites.