Synopsis
In species where male reproductive success is dependent on male competition and aggression, alternative reproductive patterns, thought to represent a reduction in male reproductive effort, sometimes occur. Female mimicry in bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) is an example of an obligate alternative male strategy. Female mimics are small, sexually mature males which mimic the details of female behavior, and gain access to functional females attracted to the nests of large, aggressive territorial males. The costs of female mimicry relative to nesting male behavior are discussed and two hypotheses, deception and mutual gain, are presented to explain the tolerance and ‘courtship’ of female mimics by nesting males.
Similar content being viewed by others
References cited
Avilla, V.L. 1975. A field study of nesting behavior of male bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus Rafinesque). Amer. Midl. Natur. 96: 195–206.
Boyer, R.L. & L.E. Vogele, 1971. Longear sunfish behavior in two Ozark reservoirs. pp. 13–25. In: Hall, G.E. (ed.) Reservoir Fisheries and Limnology, Spec. Publ. No. 8, Amer. Fish. Soc., Wash., D.C..
Carbine, W.F. 1939. Observations on the spawning habits of centrarchid fishes in Deep Lake, Oakland County, Michigan. Trans. N. Amer. Wildl. Conf. 4: 275–287.
Colgan, P.W. & M.R. Gross. 1977. Dynamics of aggression in male pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus) over the reproductive phase. Z. Tierpsychol. 43: 139–146.
Dominey, W.J. 1980. Female mimicry in bluegill sunfish — A genetic polymorphism? Nature 284: 546–548.
Foster, M.S. 1977. Odd couples in manakins: A study of social organization and cooperative breeding in Chiroxiphia linearis. Amer. Natur. 111: 845–853.
Gadgil, M. 1972. Male dimorphism as a consequence of sexual selection. Amer. Natur. 106: 574–580.
Gross, M.R. 1979. Cuckoldry in sunfishes (Lepomis: Centrarchidae). Can. J. Zool. 57: 1507–1509.
Helfman, G.S. 1979. Twilight activities of yellow perch,Perca flavescens. J. Fish. Res. Board Can. 36: 173–179.
Hogan-Warburg, A.J. 1966. Social behavior of the ruffPhilomuchu.s pugnax (L.). Ardea 54: 109–229.
Hunter, J.R. 1963. The reproductive behavior of the green sunfish,Lepomis cyanellus. Zoologica 48: 13–24.
Keenleyside, M.H.A. 1972. Intraspecific intrusions into nests of spawning longear sunfish (Pisces: Centrarchidae). Copeia 1972: 2722–278.
Miller, H.C. 1963. The behavior of the pumpkinseed sunfish,Lepomis gibbosus (Linnaeus), with notes on the behavior of other species ofLepomis and the pygmy sunfish,Elassoma everglades. Behaviour 22: 88–151.
Noble, G.K. 1934. Sex recognition in the sunfish.Eupomotis gibbosus (Linne). Copeia 1934: 151–154.
Taylor, J.N. 1979. Behavioral components of reproductive success in male sunfishes of the genusLepomis. Ph.D. thesis, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. 254 pp.
Thornhill, R. 1979. Adaptive female-mimicking behavior in a scorpionfly. Science 205: 412–414.
Wilbur, H.M, D.W. Tinkle & J.P. Collins. 1974. Environmental certainty, trophic level, and resource availability in life history evolution. Amer. Natur. 108: 805–817.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dominey, W.J. Maintenance of female mimicry as a reproductive strategy in bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). Environ Biol Fish 6, 59–64 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00001800
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00001800