Sexual dimorphism in morphometric characteristics of cocktail wrasse

A closely associated set of characteristics was identified in adult cocktai l wrasse Pteragogus aurigarius, collected in a coastal area on Cheju island , Korea in 1993, which showed sexually dimorphic growth. Growth was positiv ely allometric in males. Male cocktail wrasse possess larger first and seco nd spinal rays in the dorsal fin than females resulting in pronounced sexua l dimorphism. Such sexual dimorphism may reflect the outcome of sexual sele ction in this species. (C) 2001 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.