When thinking of the word transgendered, pictures of transgendered men and women usually flash through a person’s head. But what about transgendered fish?

BBC’s Blue Planet II has captured footage of the female Asian Sheepshead Wrasse changing its sex. Once the fish reaches a certain age and weight, it can undergo the transition from female to male. Scientists speculate that the female wrasse undergoes the change in order to pass on more genes as a male, but are unsure why only some change genders while others do not.

The Asian Sheepshead Wrasse, the largest of its species, can be found in the Pacific Ocean near Japan. Some distinguishable features of the wrasse are its protruding forehead, jutting chin, and its pinkish tinge.

Another case of gender-swapping fish can be linked to an excess of contraceptives and makeup in Britain’s freshwater. According to the New York Post, a study on Britain’s freshwater fish “found that a fifth of males are now showing feminine traits–including producing eggs, a reduced sperm count, and less aggressive behavior–due to gender-bending chemicals found in the contraceptive pill, cleaning agents, (and) plastics and cosmetics.”

Other studies conducted show that contraceptives are not alone in affecting the bodies of fish. Antidepressants found in the freshwater can make the fish less shy and can change how they interact with predators.

So, even though science seems to be changing for the better, it still leaves the average person with one feeling, “Boy, is science weird!”

The information presented in this article is from the New York Post and MSN.