Meeting Abstract

P2.103  Friday, Jan. 4  Male Behavioral Responses to the Female Ovulation Cycle in the Lek Breeding African Cichlid Fish Astatotilapia burtoni WILLIAMS, S.*; KIDD, M.R.; HOFMANN, H.A.; The University of Texas at Austin; The University of Texas at Austin; The University of Texas at Austin CaryGrant@mail.utexas.edu

Animals often coordinate their behavior, especially in the context of reproduction. In fishes, reliable communication between spawning partners is necessary to ensure the synchrony of gamete release and subsequent fertilization. However the complex interactions of endogenous and exogenous cues have been examined in few teleost species with uniform reproductive strategies. Lek-breeding species such as the Lake Tanganyikan cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni represent a unique opportunity to gain insight into these processes since interactions between partners are largely limited to the time just before and during mating, thus reducing the time available for effective synchronization. We hypothesized that male sexual behaviors are regulated not only by the male�s reproductive state, but also by female-generated (exogenous) cues, which may change throughout the reproductive cycle. We quantified male aggressive and sexual behaviors towards females throughout the ovulation cycle. While we observed no change in male aggression (number of bites) throughout the female cycle, there was a significant increase in male sexual behaviors (lateral displays and leads) beginning the day prior to and through mating. Male sexual displays were infrequent throughout the remainder of the female cycle. We conclude that males are able to detect cues predictive of female receptivity and are currently examining their endocrine basis. This surprising male selectivity highlights the importance of an underappreciated variable in mate choice and sexual selection studies within a rapidly evolving vertebrate clade.