Meeting Abstract
57.4 Sunday, Jan. 5 14:15 Female courtship solicitation is associated with reproductive success in Bluebanded Gobies PRADHAN, DS*; WILLIS, MC; SOLOMON-LANE, TK; CRUTCHER, JB; THONKULPITAK, K; GROBER, MS; Georgia State Univ., Atlanta; Georgia State Univ., Atlanta; Georgia State Univ., Atlanta; Rhodes College, Memphis; Georgia State Univ., Atlanta, GA; Georgia State Univ., Atlanta, GA dpradhan1@student.gsu.edu
Courtship and territorial defense may reduce the quality or quantity of parental care, thus limiting the chances for offspring survival. The bluebanded goby, Lythrypnus dalli, is a haremic marine fish that has multiple overlapping broods during the breeding season. The role of the male is highly dynamic: he demonstrates requisite parental care and territory defense, maintains the highest rank, and courts using jerk swims. Thus, traits that allow a male to invest heavily in parenting may interfere with territoriality, status or courtship. Females interact to maintain a linear social hierarchy and demonstrate courtship solicitations. Here, we tracked eggs laid over 3 weeks to investigate the role of courtship and parenting in reproductive output. Using groups consisting of one male and two status-mismatched females, we generated natural variation in egg numbers and periods without any eggs in the nest. Rates of parenting, male jerks, and female solicitation were not affected by egg presence. Overall, females solicited at a higher rate compared to male jerks. Number of eggs was not associated with male parenting, males approaching or jerking towards females. However, number of eggs was associated with rate of female solicitation. More specifically, numbers of eyed eggs were associated with alpha solicitation. Transition matrix analysis revealed that alphas frequently interrupted beta solicitation and solicited the male. Overall, these data illustrate that there are limited tradeoffs with regard to the expression of male behavior and alpha female behavior has a big impact on male reproductive success.
