It"s ladies" night at the Great Barrier Reef: Their bright orange-pink coloration indicates these sea goldies are females. But that could change quickly: Sea goldies are protogynous hermaphrodites, meaning that when there aren"t enough fellas around, the largest females change sex to become male, turning purplish and growing even larger. All goldies are born female, but those that switch to male enjoy instantly better odds at mating time: For every male goldie there are up to 10 females.
A goldie gala
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Lakeside serenity in Finland
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Venice Skatepark, Los Angeles, California
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Wind Cave National Park celebrates 120 years
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It’s Napping Day
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Quebec City for Winter Carnival
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Of moose and Maine
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Light show at the skatepark
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Corfe gets creepy
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Honoring the fallen
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The roots of invention
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Big dreams require a big sleigh
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The circular castle of Cornwall
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Burrowing owls
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Earth Science Week
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A hermitage with a view
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Montreux, Switzerland, and all that jazz
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Happy Independence Day!
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Svolvaer, Lofoten Islands, Norway
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Composite of photographs from the Apollo 15 mission
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A. M. Foster Bridge in Cabot, Vermont
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Mount Segla, Senja Island, Norway
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Space-age style by the sea
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One giant leap for penguins
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Hoh Rain Forest, Olympic National Park, Washington
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Seitan Limania Beach, Crete
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A notorious gunfight that was incorrectly named
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Florentine garden brings generations together
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World Rivers Day
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Longtailed widowbird at Rietvlei Nature Reserve, South Africa
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Overlooking the Douro