Meeting Abstract
Maternal care behavior is plastically adjusted based on external and internal cues. Differences in maternal phenotypes can be observed between laboratory raised animals and their wild-raised conspecifics, raising the question of how environmental stimuli and physiological mechanisms integrate to produce adequate maternal behavior. These inextricably linked networks have often been studied in isolation, but a thorough investigation of maternal phenotypes requires an investigation of the interplay between internal and external sources that affect successful reproduction. Using an integrated comparative approach, this study examines physiological and behavioral differences between two lab-raised and wild-raised stocks of the brooding cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni, which demonstrate divergent patterns of maternal investment. Gene expression patterns were measured using microarrays and hormones were quantified with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and were then compared between stocks in conjunction with recorded morphological and behavioral data. Results indicate significant differences in rates of filial cannibalism and weight regulation between the two stocks, revealing a characteristic phenotype between good and inept brooders. These findings contribute to the limited compendium on the neural mechanisms which influence maternal care behaviors.
