Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and although the Serranus tortugarum may not know it, it is probably the most romantic and passionate fish there is. Let’s know a little more about it!
Native to the Caribbean, the Serranus tortugarum reaches 3 in. / 7.6 cm. long, and its habitat is in coral reefs.
The Serranus Tortugarum And Its … “I Will Love You Forever”
Yes, Yes. We already know that we are talking about evolutionary strategies to ensure permanence, but the Serranus tortugarum reproductive strategy is, at least, surprising. In the animal world, monogamy is totally abnormal. Let us clarify that a species is monogamous when there is a mating relationship between two specimens, and it lasts throughout its life. It happens with the Serranus tortugarum.
The pale serranid, our little friend also has that name, lives in large social groups. We could understand, they have a lot of opportunities to switch partners. What a surprise for Mary Hart, an evolutionary ecologist at the University of Florida, when she discovered that it is a faithful fish!
For six months, Harts and her team did numerous dives to study the Serranus tortugarum in its habitat, and they discovered that each pair remains together until one of them dies. But the surprises did not stop there.
