Life‐history constraints, short adult life span and reproductive strategies in coral reef gobies of the genus Trimma

Abstract

Body size influences many life‐history traits, with small‐bodied animals tending to have short life spans, high mortality and greater reproductive effort early in life. In this study, the authors investigated the life‐history traits and reproductive strategies of three small‐bodied coral reef gobies of the genus Trimma : Trimma benjamini , Trimma capostriatum and Trimma yanoi . The authors found all Trimma species studied attained a small body size of T. benjamini individual and one T. yanoi individual had ovarian and testicular tissue active simultaneously. The results of this study highlight the life‐history challenges small CRFs face on their path to reproduction and reproductive strategies that could be beneficial in fishes with high and unpredictable mortality and short reproductive life spans.

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