Effects of reversed size-assortative mating on spawning success in the monogamous convict cichlid,<i>Amatitlania nigrofasciata</i>

Leese, Joseph M.; Wilson, Heather M.; Ganim, Alexandra; Itzkowitz, Murray

doi:10.1080/03949370903516149

Cited by 5 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 17 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…As observed previously in similar paradigms allowing choice (Leese et al. ), both pairing types spawned successfully in both the group tanks and the observation tanks. Females in female‐larger pairs laid more eggs on average than those in male‐larger pairs (19 ± 15 vs. 9 ± 3 eggs); however, this difference was not statistically significant ( t 7.5 = 1.76, p = 0.12).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 80%

Social Reversal of Sex‐Biased Aggression and Dominance in a Biparental Cichlid Fish (Julidochromis marlieri)

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In biparental species, aggression, dominance, and parental care are typically sexually dimorphic. While behavioral dimorphism is often strongly linked to gonadal sex, the environment-either social or ecological-may also influence sex-biased behavior. In the biparental cichlid fish Julidochromis marlieri, the typical social environment for breeding pairs consists of large females paired with smaller males. While both sexes are capable of providing territory defense and parental care, the larger female provides the majority of defense for the pair, while the smaller male remains in the nest guarding their offspring. We examine the contributions of sex and relative mate size to these sex-biased behaviors in monogamous J. marlieri pairs. Both female-larger and male-larger pairs were formed in the laboratory and were observed for territorial aggression (against conspecifics and heterospecifics), dominance, and parental care. In female-larger pairs, territorial aggression and intra-pair dominance were female-biased, while in male-larger pairs this bias was reversed. For both pairing types, the presence of an intruder amplified sex differences in territorial aggression, with the larger fish always attacking with greater frequency than its mate. Though less robust, there was evidence for plasticity of sex-bias for some egg care related behaviors in the inverse direction. Our study suggests that relative mate size strongly influences the sex bias of aggression and dominance in J. marlieri and that this aspect of the social environment can override the influence of gonadal sex on an individual's behavior. The remarkable plasticity of this species makes Julidochromis an exciting model that could be used to address the relationship between proximate and ultimate mechanisms of behavioral plasticity.Ethology 120 (2014) 540-550

show abstract

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 80%

Social Reversal of Sex‐Biased Aggression and Dominance in a Biparental Cichlid Fish (Julidochromis marlieri)

et al. 2014

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…On the other hand, our finding might be important to understand the dynamics of size-assortative mating in natural populations. Size-assortative mating is a pervasive pattern of mating in natural populations [ 86 ], particularly in monogamous fish species [ 87 - 89 ], including convict cichlids [ 74 , 90 - 92 ]. Although size-assortative mating can be produced independently of active mate choice, either through heterogeneity in spatial [ 93 ] or temporal [ 94 ] distribution of potential mates or through intrasexual competition [ 85 ], active mate choice may contribute to generate the observed patterns of size assortment between mates [ 88 , 95 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Female mate choice in convict cichlids is transitive and consistent with a self-referent directional preference

et al. 2013

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

IntroductionOne of the most important decisions that an animal has to make in its life is choosing a mate. Although most studies in sexual selection assume that mate choice is rational, this assumption has not been tested seriously. A crucial component of rationality is that animals exhibit transitive choices: if an individual prefers option A over B, and B over C, then it also prefers A over C.ResultsWe assessed transitivity in mate choice: 40 female convict cichlids had to make a series of binary choices between males of varying size. Ninety percent of females showed transitive choices. The mean preference index was significantly higher when a female chose between their most preferred and least preferred male (male 1 vs. male 3) compared to when they chose between males of adjacent ranks (1 vs. 2 or 2 vs. 3). The results are consistent with a simple underlying preference function leading to transitive choice: females preferred males about one third larger than themselves. This rule of thumb correctly predicted which male was preferred in 67% of the cases and the ordering in binary choices in 78% of cases.ConclusionsThis study provides the first evidence for strong stochastic transitivity in a context of mate choice. The females exhibited ordinal preferences and the direction and magnitude of these preferences could be predicted from a simple rule. The females do not necessarily compare two males to choose the best; it is sufficient to use a self-referent evaluation. Such a simple decision rule has important implications for the evolution of the mating strategies and it is consistent with patterns of assortative mating repeatedly observed at population level.

show abstract

Communication and Social Life: Behaviors Related to Social Interrelations between Congeners, Parasites and Predators

2020

Fish Behavior 1

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Effects of reversed size-assortative mating on spawning success in the monogamous convict cichlid,Amatitlania nigrofasciata

Cited by 5 publications

References 17 publications

Social Reversal of Sex‐Biased Aggression and Dominance in a Biparental Cichlid Fish (Julidochromis marlieri)

Social Reversal of Sex‐Biased Aggression and Dominance in a Biparental Cichlid Fish (Julidochromis marlieri)

Female mate choice in convict cichlids is transitive and consistent with a self-referent directional preference

Communication and Social Life: Behaviors Related to Social Interrelations between Congeners, Parasites and Predators

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About