Consequences of thermal acclimation for the mating behaviour and swimming performance of female mosquito fish

Abstract

The mating system of eastern mosquito fish (Gambusia holbrooki ) is dominated by male sexual coercion, where all matings are forced and females never appear to cooperate and actively avoid all attempts. Previous research has shown that male G. holbrooki offer a model system for examining the benefits of reversible thermal acclimation for reproductive success, but examining the benefits to female avoidance behaviour has been difficult. In this study, we examined the ability of non-male-deprived female G. holbrooki to avoid forced-coercive matings following acclimation to either 18 or 308C for six weeks (12 h light : 12 h dark photoperiod). Thermal acclimation of burst and sustained swimming performance was also assessed, as these traits are likely to underlie their ability to avoid forced matings. There was no influence of thermal acclimation on the burst swimming performance of female G. holbrooki over the range 18-308C; however, sustained swimming performance was significantly lower in the warm-than the cool-acclimation group. For mating behaviour, we tested the hypothesis that acclimation would enhance the ability of female G. holbrooki to avoid forced matings at their host acclimation temperature relative to females acclimated to another environment. However, our hypothesis was not supported. The rate of copulations was almost three times greater for females acclimated to 308C than 188C when tested at 308C, indicating that they possess the ability to alter their avoidance behaviour to 'allow' more copulations in some environments. Coupled with previous studies, female G. holbrooki appear to have greater control on the outcome of coercive mating attempts than previously considered and can alter their propensity to receive forced matings following thermal acclimation. The significance of this change in female mating-avoidance behaviours with thermal acclimation remains to be explored.

Isopods Failed to Acclimate Their Thermal Sensitivity of Locomotor Performance during Predictable or Stochastic Cooling

“…Similarly, sea stars ( Odontaster validus z) acclimated to 6°C [35], whereas other marine invertebrates from the same environment failed to acclimate to 3°C after two months of exposure [36], [37]. Even males and females of the same species differ in their ability to acclimate [38], [39]. As with our findings, this variation in the acclimation of thermal sensitivity cannot be explained by the current theory [11].…”

Temperature acclimation of mitochondria function from the hearts of a temperate wrasse (Notolabrus celidotus)

“…Once acclimation temperatures were reached, fish were held at their prescribed temperatures for six weeks. The responses of whole-animal performance traits by acclimation in fish can be observed by 4-6 weeks of exposure to the new external condition (Johnston and Lucking, 1978;Hammill et al, 2004;Wilson et al, 2007;Condon et al, 2010). Additionally, mitochondrial oxidative capacities were altered within two weeks of warm and cold acclimation (Bouchard and Guderley, 2003).…”

Zebrafish take their cue from temperature but not photoperiod for the seasonal plasticity of thermal performance

“…Fish were kept at 16 or 30°C and one of three photoperiod treatments for 8weeks. Previous studies have shown that acclimation responses of whole-animal performance traits in fishes are typically induced by 4-6weeks of exposure to a new environment (Johnston and Lucking, 1978;Hammill et al, 2004;Wilson et al, 2007a). All animals were housed individually in 3.5l opaque plastic tanks with a 1cm gravel bed and provided with constant aeration.…”