评论
打印
But life on the reef is not just about food, it's also about sex.
但是在珊瑚礁的生活不只关系到食物，跟性也有关。
There are many different breeding strategies, but each is aimed at maximising the number of young that will survive.
这里有许多繁殖的策略，但是每一个都是为了要让为数最多的幼苗存活下去。
Every afternoon for two months brown surgeonfish can be seen streaming across reefs in the Red Sea.
连续两个月，每天下午可见棕刺鳍鱼游过红海珊瑚礁。
They all head for the same place, usually some prominent feature. Here, they wait for the light to fade.
它们的目的地相同，通常是一些突出的地理构造。它们在这里等待天黑。
Suddenly, females within the group make a dash away from the reef to release their eggs.
突然间，雌鱼冲离珊瑚礁，好释放出卵。
They're immediately followed by the quickest and closest of the males, all of whom are striving to fertilise the eggs.
马上就有距离最近且速度最快的雄鱼跟随，它们抢着要让卵受精。
Inevitably, others come here to feast on such easy food.
当然也有其他鱼类来此捡便宜。
As the surgeonfish spawn, fusiliers move in above to eat the nutritious eggs.
当刺鳍鱼产卵时，冬鱼也前来享受营养的鱼卵。
These are just the first of many predators which will feed on the eggs and developing larvae as they drift in the ocean during the next few weeks.
它们只是许多掠食者的第一波，其他掠食者会在接下来的几个礼拜抢食这些卵及成长中的幼鱼。
Other fish are less casual about their eggs.
其他的鱼种就会比较在意自己的卵了。
Banded pipe fish stay close to a small chosen area on the reef.
条纹尖嘴鱼留在珊瑚礁上预选的小范围里。
Every morning at sunrise the female leaves her sleeping site and swims to find her partner.
每天日出时，母鱼离开眠床，出游寻找它们伴侣。
For ten minutes or so they remain together, reaffirming the bond that is essential to their partnership.
它们会相处约十分钟，重新巩固对亲密关系极为重要的联系。
They swim together around his territory in a simple greeting dance.
它们会在雄鱼的领域游着一种简单的欢迎舞。
Throughout the Summer, when the female's eggs are ripe, courtship begins in earnest in the early morning.
在夏季里，雌鱼的卵成熟后，求爱在一早就变的激进。
It takes time and after about two hours, they rise together off the seabed entwining their bodies.
整个过程需要一点时间，两个小时后，它们一起从海床上升起，身体交缠。
The male rubs himself against the female, stimulating her to release her eggs.
雄鱼用身体与雌鱼摩擦，刺激雌鱼释出鱼卵。
And now, swiftly, the male takes them. The eggs, now stuck to his belly, are patted down to ensure that they stay there.
接着，雄鱼迅速抓住鱼卵。鱼卵已附着在雄鱼腹部，接着会被往下轻拍，以确定它们牢附不移。
The female then leaves him, but every morning, she will return for a session of synchronised swimming and so ensure that their bond is maintained.
雌鱼接着离开雄鱼，但是每天早上，她回来与雄鱼做同步游泳，以确认并维持它们的关系。
Ten days later, under the cover of darkness, the male shakes his body and the young pipe fish are born. Only now are they independent of their parents.
十天后在夜晚的掩护下，雄鱼摇摆身体，小尖嘴鱼也因而诞生。一直到现在它们才算真正独立。
Since the male takes charge of the eggs as soon as they are laid, the female can start immediately producing the next batch.
因为雄鱼在鱼卵刚产下时就负起照护的工作，雌鱼可以马上开始制造下一批卵。
Without his help, the pair could only breed every twenty days, rather than every ten.
如果没有雄鱼的帮助，一对鱼只能每20天产卵一次，而不是10天。
So, by sharing the work, they're doubling the number of young they can produce in any one year.
它们的分工合作可以让每年出生的小鱼数量增加一倍。
