What is the fate of the minute male dragonfish after it completes its reproductive function?
Answer
It dissolves
The life cycle of the male dragonfish is tragically brief and entirely dedicated to reproduction, reflecting the energetic constraints of the deep-sea environment. After mating, or sometimes even while attaching parasitically to the female for survival, the male's existence concludes rapidly. The text explicitly notes that after mating, the minute male, which might only be an inch long, dissolves. This terminal event underscores that the male's simple physiology is entirely geared towards gamete transfer, offering no benefit for long-term survival or resource competition, which are tasks reserved entirely for the much larger female.
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