Hormonal control of brood care and social status in a cichlid fish with brood care helpers

Bender, Nicole; Heg-Bachar, Zina; Oliveira, Rui Filipe; Canário, Adelino V.M.; Taborsky, Michael

doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2008.02.002

Cited by 48 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…Acoustics and olfaction have been identified as the most important non-visual communication modes in cichlids (Amorim et al 2004;Almeida et al 2005;Amorim et al 2008;Blais et al 2009). Chemical cues are used in a wide array of social interactions, including the indication of social status (Barata et al 2007;Bender et al 2008), reproductive status of females (Clement et al 2004;Almeida et al 2005;Miranda et al 2005) and agonistic interactions (Giaquinto and Volpato 1997). Furthermore, olfactory cues appear to influence female cichlid mate choice (Plenderleith et al 2005; but see Venesky et al 2005, andJordan et al 2003 for alternative views).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acoustic diversity in Lake Malawi’s rock-dwelling cichlids

2011

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The cichlids of Lake Malawi are one of the world's most species rich and phenotypically diverse groups of extant vertebrates. The extraordinary variability of this group's color patterns, reproductive behaviors, and trophic morphologies are well documented. More recently, an additional axis of phenotypic diversity has been identified. Lake Malawi cichlids have been shown to use species-specific acoustic communication in both aggressive and reproductive encounters. However, documentation of acoustic signals used by this group is limited to a small number of taxa observed within the confines of the laboratory. This study examines the acoustic signals produced by six species spanning four genera of rock-dwelling cichlids recorded in their natural habitat, the shallow waters surrounding Thumbi West Island, Lake Malawi. Four acoustic parameters were quantified and compared between species: trill duration, number of pulses per trill, pulse duration, and pulse period. Using these characteristics, sympatric species within the genus Maylandia were easily distinguished. Furthermore, a comparison of this data to previously published acoustic data reveals possible geographic dialects within species.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acoustic diversity in Lake Malawi’s rock-dwelling cichlids

2011

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“…However, in fish exhibiting parental care, cortisol seems not to affect brood care behaviour (e.g. Knapp et al 1999;Bender et al 2008;O'Connor et al 2009). Differences in breeding strategies are thought to explain the different roles cortisol appears to play in the regulation of behaviours in amphibians (Orchinik 1998).…”

Section: On Reproductive Behaviour?mentioning

confidence: 99%

Cortisol and finfish welfare

Ellis

Yıldız

López‐Olmeda

et al. 2011

Fish Physiol Biochem

285

145

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Previous reviews of stress, and the stress hormone cortisol, in fish have focussed on physiology, due to interest in impacts on aquaculture production. Here, we discuss cortisol in relation to fish welfare. Cortisol is a readily measured component of the primary (neuroendocrine) stress response and is relevant to fish welfare as it affects physiological and brain functions and modifies behaviour. However, we argue that cortisol has little value if welfare is viewed purely from a functional (or behavioural) perspective-the cortisol response itself is a natural, adaptive response and is not predictive of coping as downstream impacts on function and behaviour are dose-, time- and context-dependent and not predictable. Nevertheless, we argue that welfare should be considered in terms of mental health and feelings, and that stress in relation to welfare should be viewed as psychological, rather than physiological. We contend that cortisol can be used (with caution) as a tractable indicator of how fish perceive (and feel about) their environment, psychological stress and feelings in fish. Cortisol responses are directly triggered by the brain and fish studies do indicate cortisol responses to psychological stressors, i.e., those with no direct physicochemical action. We discuss the practicalities of using cortisol to ask the fish themselves how they feel about husbandry practices and the culture environment. Single time point measurements of cortisol are of little value in assessing the stress level of fish as studies need to account for diurnal and seasonal variations, and environmental and genetic factors. Areas in need of greater clarity for the use of cortisol as an indicator of fish feelings are the separation of (physiological) stress from (psychological) distress, the separation of chronic stress from acclimation, and the interactions between feelings, cortisol, mood and behaviour.

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“…All three ARTs are 565 characterized by a similar testosterone concentration in testes that ensures basic sperm 566 production, even in philopatric males. In the cooperatively breeding cichlid Neolamprologus 567 pulcher, non-reproducing males living in a school have high testosterone levels, which might 568 enable them to rapidly switch to breeding condition once they become territorial breeders 569 (Bender et al, 2008). In striped mice, testis size and sperm production may be increased by 570 social and environmental factors, for example the presence of reproductively active females 571 (Amstislavskaya and Popova, 2004;Macrides et al, 1975), high food availability and the 572 absence of a dominant male (Schradin et al, 2009b …”

Section: Reproductive Suppression But No Trade-off Between Investmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Differential investment into testes and sperm production in alternative male reproductive tactics of the African striped mouse (Rhabdomys pumilio)

Schradin¹,

Eder²,

Müller³

2012

Hormones and Behavior

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Males that follow alternative reproductive tactics might differ in their investment into testis development and sperm production. The resource-allocation hypothesis predicts that males following a sneaker tactic should invest more into sperm production than dominant territorial males which should invest more into mate guarding. This hypothesis is supported by studies in species where individual males cannot switch between tactics (fixed tactics). Here we present the first data for a species where males can switch between tactics (plastic tactics). We studied African striped mice (Rhabdomys pumilio) in captivity, mimicking three tactics observed in the field: philopatric group-living males, singly-housed males representing roaming males, and group-living breeding males. We measured quantitative and qualitative reproductive traits, as well as serum and testis hormone concentrations. We found no support for the resource-allocation hypothesis, since breeding and singly-housed males invested similarly in testes and sperm. However, philopatric males had significantly smaller testes and epididymides, lower sperm counts, lower testosterone and higher corticosterone levels than males of the two other tactics. Philopatric males did not reach a larger body mass than singly-housed males with well developed reproductive traits, indicating that they did not trade investment in sperm production against growth. Interestingly, testis testosterone concentrations of philopatric males did not differ from those of other males. Our data suggest that philopatric males are reproductively suppressed by the breeding male, but might be ready to increase their serum testosterone levels when social and environmental conditions allow for this physiological switch accompanying the behavioral switch between tactics.

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Hormonal control of brood care and social status in a cichlid fish with brood care helpers

Cited by 48 publications

References 71 publications

Acoustic diversity in Lake Malawi’s rock-dwelling cichlids

Acoustic diversity in Lake Malawi’s rock-dwelling cichlids

Cortisol and finfish welfare

Differential investment into testes and sperm production in alternative male reproductive tactics of the African striped mouse (Rhabdomys pumilio)

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