Female mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis holbrooki) prefer normally pigmented males to melanistic males.

Taylor, Stephen A.; Burt, Elaine; Hammond, G. H.; Relyea, Kenneth G.

doi:10.1037//0735-7036.110.3.260

Journal of Comparative Psychology

1996

DOI: 10.1037//0735-7036.110.3.260

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Female mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis holbrooki) prefer normally pigmented males to melanistic males.

Stephen A. Taylor¹,

Elaine Burt²,

G. H. Hammond³

et al.

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Cited by 2 publications

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Bisazza

Pilastro

2000

Behavior Genetics

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The preference for melanistic males was studied in two populations of eastern mosquitofish (Gambusia holbrooki, Pisces: Poeciliidae), one from Florida and one from northern Italy. Melanism in the eastern mosquitofish is a Y--linked character, expressed in males only. Melanistic males have black spots varying in size and number. In the Florida population, melanistic males are common, whereas in the Italian population they have never been observed. Females were male-deprived for at least 2 months before being tested in a dichotomous choice chamber. Italian females showed a significant preference for unpigmented males from their own population, whereas Florida females preferred melanistic males. When given the choice between males with few (< 10% of the body surface) and males with many (> 50%) black spots, Italian females preferred males with few black spots and Florida females those with many black spots. The preference of the Italian females for unpigmented males was confirmed in females reared from birth to maturity in the presence of only melanistic males. The preference of Florida females for melanistic males was also confirmed in females reared from birth to maturity in the presence of only unpigmented males. Altogether, these results demonstrate that in the eastern mosquitofish there is polymorphism in female preference and that this preference does not have an environmental basis.

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Untitled

Bisazza

Pilastro

2000

Behavior Genetics

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Selection and the Maintenance of a Colour Pattern Polymorphism in the Green Swordtail (Xiphophorus Helleri)

Franck

Dikomey

Schartl

2001

Behav

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Many Xiphophorus populations include a number of individuals with black spots on body sides or fins. In many cases such spots are composed of extremely large melanophore cells, the so-called macromelanophores. Macromelanophore pattern polymorphism is known in 10 out of 22 Xiphophorus species. In at least 8 species alleles of the macromelanophore determining locus Mdl are intimately linked to a dominant oncogene, ONC-Xmrk, which can give rise to malignant skin tumors (melanoma). We present, for the first time, evidence that macromelanophore pattern polymorphisms may be maintained by selection in a seasonally variable environment. In school-choice experiments single Xiphophorus helleri females spent more time with groups of spotted females than with non-spotted females under turbid, but not under clear water conditions. Similarly, receptive females preferred spotted males in turbid, but not in clear water. Thus, in nature, when the water becomes turbid after heavy rainfalls, school mates and reproductive partners can evidently find each other more easily with the help of macromelanophore spotting patterns. Intrasexual selection seems to be irrelevant because spotted and non-spotted males were equally successful in competition experiments. A genetic hitchhiking scenario is discussed which could explain the fact that the potentially injurious tumor gene ONC-Xmrk has been maintained in the genus Xiphophorus over a period of millions of years by its close linkage to positively selected macromelanophore alleles.

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Female mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis holbrooki) prefer normally pigmented males to melanistic males.

Cited by 2 publications

References 4 publications

Untitled

Untitled

Selection and the Maintenance of a Colour Pattern Polymorphism in the Green Swordtail (Xiphophorus Helleri)

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