Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology

, Volume 36, Issue 6, pp 407–412 | Cite as

Mating patterns and a test for female mate choice in Etheostoma spectabile (Pisces, Percidae)

  • Mark Pyron
Article
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Neither size nor breeding color correlated with spawning success of male orangethroat darters, Etheostoma spectabile (Pisces, Percidae), under natural field conditions. When females were presented experimentally with a simultaneous choice they spent no more time in proximity to large than small males, and were subsequently no more likely to spawn with large than with small males. Females also displayed no preference for bright versus dull males. Males and females did not differ significantly in size. Etheostoma spectabile may lack sexual size dimorphism as a result of the lack of female choice for size and the ineffectiveness of male attempts to monopolize females, or selection may be for increased size of females. Males are not dwarfs because of sperm competition. Contest competition among males appeared to be important in initiating spawnings but many males obtained spawnings by participating in ongoing spawning events. Etheostoma spectabile is an example of a sexually dimorphic species with no evident female preference for male size or color.

Key words

Female mate choice Mating system Fish Etheostoma spectabile 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Barlow GW, Rogers W (1978) Female Midas cichiids' choice of mate in relation to parents' and to own color. Biol Behav 3: 137–145Google Scholar
  2. Berglund A, Rosenqvist G, Svensson I (1986) Mate choice, fecundity and sexual dimorphism in two pipefish species (Syngnathidae). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 19:301–307Google Scholar
  3. Bisazza A, Marconato A (1988) Female mate choice, male-male competition and parental care in the river bullhead, Cottus gobio L. (Pisces, Cottidae). Anim Behav 36:1352–1360Google Scholar
  4. Breden F, Stoner G (1987) Male predation risk determines female preference in the Trinidad guppy. Nature 329:831–833Google Scholar
  5. Brooks DR, McLennan DA (1991) Phylogeny, ecology, and behavior: a research program in comparative biology. University of Chicago Press, ChicagoGoogle Scholar
  6. Chapman LJ, Bevan DJ (1990) Development and field evaluation of a mini-spaghetti tag for individual identification of small fishes. Am Fish Soc Symp 7:101–108Google Scholar
  7. Cote IM, Hunte W (1989) Male and female mate choice in the redlip blenny: why bigger is better. Anim Behav 38:78–88Google Scholar
  8. Distler DA (1968) Distribution and variation of Etheostoma spectabile (Agassiz) (Percidae, Teleostei). Univ Kansas Sci Bull 48:143–208Google Scholar
  9. Downhower JF, Brown L (1980) Mate preferences of female mottled sculpins, Cottus bairdi. Anim Behav 28:728–734Google Scholar
  10. Downhower JF, Brown L, Pederson R, Staples G (1983) Sexual selection and sexual dimorphism in mottled sculpins. Evolution 37:96–103Google Scholar
  11. Endler JA (1980) Natural selection on color patterns in Poecilia reticulata. Evolution 34:76–91Google Scholar
  12. Grant JWA, Colgan PW (1983) Reproductive success and mate choice in the johnny darter, Etheostoma nigrum(Pisces: Percidae). Can J Zool 61:437–446Google Scholar
  13. Haas R (1976) Sexual selection in Nothobranchus guentheri (Pisces: Cyprinodontidae). Evolution 30:614–622Google Scholar
  14. Hastings PA (1988) Correlates of male reproductive success in the browncheek blenny, Acanthemblemaria crockeri (Blennioidea: Chaenopsidae). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 22:95–102Google Scholar
  15. Houde A (1987) Mate choice based upon naturally occurring color-pattern variation in a guppy population. Evolution 41:1–10Google Scholar
  16. Hughes AL (1985) Male size, mating success, and mating strategy in the mosquitofish Gambusia affinis (Poeciliidae). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 17:271–278Google Scholar
  17. Jarvi T (1990) The effects of male dominance, secondary sexual characteristics and female mate choice on the mating success of male Atlantic salmon Salmo salar. Ethology 84:123–132Google Scholar
  18. Jennings MJ, Philipp DP (1992) Female choice and male competition in longear sunfish. Behav Ecol 3:84–94Google Scholar
  19. Jones GP (1981) Spawning-site choice by female Pseudolabrus celidotus (Pisces: Labridae) and its influence on the mating system. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 8:129–142Google Scholar
  20. Knapp RA, Sargent RC (1989) Egg-mimicry as a mating strategy in the fantail darter, Etheostoma flabellare: females prefer males with eggs. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 25:321–326Google Scholar
  21. Kodric-Brown A (1983) Determinants of male reproductive success in pupfish (Cyprinodon pecosensis). Anim Behav 31:128–137Google Scholar
  22. Kodric-Brown A (1985) Female preference and sexual selection for male coloration in the guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 17:199–205Google Scholar
  23. Kraak SBM, Videler JJ (1991) Mate choice in Aidablennius sphynx (Teleostei, Blenniidae); females prefer nests containing more eggs. Behaviour 119:243–266Google Scholar
  24. Kuehne RA, Barbour RW (1983) The American darters. The University Press of Kentucky, LexingtonGoogle Scholar
  25. Lee DS, Gilbert CR, Hocutt CH, Jenkins RE, McAllister DE, Stauffer JR Jr (1980) Atlas of North American fishes. North Carolina State Museum, North CarolinaGoogle Scholar
  26. Marconato A, Bisazza A (1986) Males whose nests contain eggs are preferred by female Cottus gobio L. (Pisces, Cottidae). Anim Behav 34:1580–1582Google Scholar
  27. McPeek MA (1992) Mechanisms of sexual selection operation on body size in the mosquitofish (Gambusi holbrooki) Behav Ecol 3:1–12Google Scholar
  28. Milinski M, Bakker TCM (1990) Female sticklebacks use male coloration in mate choice and hence avoid parasitized males. Nature 344:330–332Google Scholar
  29. Noble GK, Curtis B (1939) The social behavior of the jewel fish, Hemichromis bimaculatus Gill. Am Mus Nat Hist 76:1–17Google Scholar
  30. Noltie D, Keenleyside MHA (1986) Correlates of reproductive success in stream-dwelling male rock bass, Ambloplites rupestris (Centrarchidae). Environ Biol Fishes 17:61–70Google Scholar
  31. Page LM (1983) Handbook of darters. TFH Publications, Neptune City, New JerseyGoogle Scholar
  32. Page LM (1985) Evolution of reproductive behaviors in percid fishes. Illinois Nat Hist Surv 33:275–295Google Scholar
  33. Parker GA (1992) The evolution of sexual size dimorphism in fish. J Fish Biol 41 Suppl B:1–20Google Scholar
  34. Petersen CW (1988) Male mating success, sexual size dimorphism, and site fidelity in two species of Malacoctenus (Labrisomidae). Environ Biol Fish 21:173–183Google Scholar
  35. Pyron, M (1994) Mate choice in fish. PhD dissertation, University of Oklahoma, NormanGoogle Scholar
  36. Robison HW, Buchanan TM (1988) Fishes of Arkansas. The University of Arkansas Press, Fayetteville, ArkansasGoogle Scholar
  37. Schroder SL (1981) The role of sexual selection indetermining overall mating patterns and mate choice in chum salmon. PhD dissertation, University of Washington, SeattleGoogle Scholar
  38. Stoner G, Breden F (1988) Phenotypic differentiation in female preference related to geographic variation in male predation risk in the Trinidad guppy (Poecilia reticulata). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 22:285–291Google Scholar
  39. Warner RR, Schultz ET (1992) Sexual selection and male characteristics in the bluehead wrasse, Thalassoma bifasciatum: mating site acquisition, mating site defense, and female choice. Evolution 46:1421–1442Google Scholar
  40. Winn HE (1958) Comparative reproductive behavior and ecology of fourteen species of darters (Pisces-Percidae). Ecol Monogr 28:155–191Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Springer-Verlag 1995

Authors and Affiliations

  • Mark Pyron
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of ZoologyUniversity of OklahomaNormanUSA

Personalised recommendations