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Two examples of fixed behavioural patterns in salmonines: female false spawning and male digging

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Abstract

Data collected from underwater video recordings in the wild and in a semi-natural channel were used to study two examples of relatively unknown behaviour in the Salmoninae subfamily—false spawning in females and digging in Oncorhynchus males. Observations suggest that false spawning should be regarded as an incomplete fixed behavioural pattern (FBP) and that male digging represents two special types of FBP (displacement FBP) with threatening and courting functions as ultimate causes.

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Acknowledgements

I thank Carmen Grisolía, Pep Gener, Felipe Melero, Victor Ewert, Martin Lopez, Gordy George, Víctor Esteve, Alex da Silva, Caro Minte-Vera, Mane de Sousa, and Mafalda Esteve for helping me to record the fish underwater. This manuscript has benefited from comments by Jesus Jurado Molina, Steve Schroder, Barry Berejikian, Cheryl Murphy, and three anonymous reviewers. The field work was partially funded by a research assistantship from the University of Washington, Centre of Streamside Studies. The manuscript was planned during a two-year visit to the University of Washington under Tom Quinn’s guidance and is part of a Ph.D. thesis directed by Adolfo de Sostoa at the University of Barcelona.

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  1. Department of Zoology, University of Toronto, 25 Harbord Street, M5S 3G5, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Manu Esteve

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  1. Manu Esteve
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Correspondence to Manu Esteve.

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Esteve, M. Two examples of fixed behavioural patterns in salmonines: female false spawning and male digging. J Ethol 25, 63–70 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-006-0208-4

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