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Social system and reproduction of helpers in a cooperatively breeding cichlid fish (Julidochromis ornatus) in Lake Tanganyika: field observations and parentage analyses

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Abstract

It is suggested that some fish of the genus Julidochromis, substrate-brooding Tanganyikan cichlids with biparental care, breed cooperatively with helpers. We studied the social system of J. ornatus in the wild and analysed genetic parentage using microsatellites. Within the studied population three patterns of social system were identified: monogamous pairs (61%, 44 of 72 groups), pairs with helpers (29%, 21), and polygamous harems with helpers (controlled by either a large female or large male owner; 10%, 7). In cooperatively breeding groups, the number of helpers at each nest ranged from 1 to 6 (median 1), and male helpers were more numerous than female helpers. In both sexes, the body size was different among individuals of different social status (harem owner > breeder > helper). Helpers and harem owners of both sexes exhibited brood defence although its frequency was low. The molecular analysis revealed that (1) the helpers were mostly unrelated to dominant breeders, (2) many helpers of both sexes contributed genetically to the next generations, (3) male helpers had high siring success (41% of young in total), and (4) large young unrelated to group members were detected at 30% of observed nests, which may be due to breeder (or helper) replacements and immigration of young. We discuss the implications of these results for understanding the complex social system of this species, especially the low reproductive skew in comparison with other cooperatively breeding cichlids.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the staff of Lake Tanganyika Research Unit for assistance in the field. We are also grateful to Tatiana Czeschlik, Mark Abrahams, Michael Taborsky, and two anonymous referees for helpful comments and suggestions on the manuscript, and Andrew Rossiter, Karen D. Crow, John Bower, Masaoki Takagi, Kazunori Matsumoto, and Natori Yasuo for advice and comments on a previous version of this manuscript. This study was financially supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Overseas Scientific Research (no. 10041178) from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Science, Sports, and Culture.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Animal Sociology, Department of Bio- and Geosciences, Graduate School of Science, Osaka City University, 3-3-138 Sugimoto, Sumiyoshi, Osaka, 558-8585, Japan

    Satoshi Awata & Masanori Kohda

  2. Usujiri Fisheries Station, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, 152 Usujiri, Minamikayabe, Hokkaido, 041-1613, Japan

    Hiroyuki Munehara

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  1. Satoshi Awata
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  2. Hiroyuki Munehara
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  3. Masanori Kohda
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Correspondence to Satoshi Awata.

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Communicated by M. Abrahams

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Awata, S., Munehara, H. & Kohda, M. Social system and reproduction of helpers in a cooperatively breeding cichlid fish (Julidochromis ornatus) in Lake Tanganyika: field observations and parentage analyses. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 58, 506–516 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-005-0934-6

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