Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Male courting behaviour in the fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas

  • Brief communication
  • Published:
Environmental Biology of Fishes Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Synopis

Reproductively developed male fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, exhibited courtship behaviour in the presence of female conspecifies under laboratory conditions. Male courtship consisted of several distinctive and visually conspicuous behaviours directed toward females, including approach, display, and two contact behaviours, as well as leading behaviour from the female to a suitable spawning site. An ovulated condition in females was not necessary to generate male courtship behaviour; in fact, the amount of courtship exhibited by males may depend inversely on the readiness of females to spawn.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References cited

  • Andrews, A.K. 1970. The distribution and life history of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas Rafinesque) in Colorado. Ph.D. Thesis, Colorado State University, Fort Collins. 131 pp.

  • Andrews, A.K. & S.A. Flickinger. 1973. Spawning requirements and characteristics of the fathead minnow. Proc. 27th Ann. Conf. Southeast. Assoc. Game and Fish Commissioners: 759–766.

  • Barlow, G.W. 1977. Dither — a way to reduce undesirable fright behaviour in ethological studies. Z. Tierpsychol. 25: 315–318.

    Google Scholar 

  • Isaak, D. 1961. The ecological life history of the fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas (Rafinesque). Ph.D. Thesis, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. 150 pp.

  • Lord, R.F. Jr. 1927. Notes on the use of the blackhead minnow (Pimephales promelas) as a forage fish. Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 57: 92–99.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marcus, H.C. 1934. Life history of the blackhead minnow (Pimephales promelas). Copeia 1934: 116–122.

  • McMillan, V.E. 1972. An ethological study of agonistic and reproductive behaviour in the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas Rafinesque). M.Sc. Thesis, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon. 147 pp.

  • McMillan, V.E. & R.J.F. Smith. 1974. Agonistic and reproductive behaviour of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas Rafinesque). Z. Tierpsychol. 34: 25–58.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, R.J.F. & B.D. Murphy. 1974. Functional morphology of the dorsal pad in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas Rafinesque). Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 103: 65–72.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wynne-Edwards, V.C. 1932. The breeding habits of the blackheaded minnow (Pimephales promelas Raf.). Trans. Amer. Fish. Soc. 62: 382–383.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. Kathleen S. Cole (Senior author)

    Present address: Department of Marine Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez Campus, Mayaguez, PR, 00708, Puerto Rico

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 0W0, Canada

    Kathleen S. Cole (Senior author) & R. Jan F. Smith

Authors
  1. Kathleen S. Cole
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. Jan F. Smith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Cole, K.S., Smith, R.J.F. Male courting behaviour in the fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas . Environ Biol Fish 18, 235–239 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00000363

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00000363

Keywords

Search

Navigation