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Ecology and mating competition influence sexual dimorphism in Tanganyikan cichlids

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Abstract

Sexual selection contributes strongly to the evolution of sexual dimorphism among animal taxa. However, recent comparative analyses have shown that evolution of sexual dimorphism can be influenced by extrinsic factors like mating system and environment, and also that different types of sexual dimorphism may present distinct evolutionary pathways. Investigating the co-variation among different types of sexual dimorphism and their association with environmental factors can therefore provide important information about the mechanisms generating variation in sexual dimorphism among contemporary species. Using phylogenetic comparative analyses comparing 49 species of Tanganyikan cichlid fishes, we first investigated the pairwise relationship between three types of sexual dimorphism [size dimorphism (SSD), colour dimorphism (COD) and shape dimorphism (SHD)] and how they were related to the strength of pre- and post-copulatory sexual selection. We then investigated the influence of ecological features on sexual dimorphism. Our results showed that although SSD was associated with the overall strength of sexual selection it was not related to other types of sexual dimorphism. Also, SSD co-varied with female size and spawning habitat, suggesting a role for female adaptations to spawn in small crevices and shells influencing SSD in this group. Further, COD and SHD were positively associated and both show positive relationships with the strength of sexual selection. Finally, the level of COD and SHD was related to habitat complexity. Our results thus highlight distinct evolutionary pathways for different types of sexual dimorphism and further that ecological factors have influenced the evolution of sexual dimorphism in Tanganyikan cichlid fishes.

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Acknowledgments

This study was funded by grants from the Swedish Research Council (VR) and the Wenner-Grens Foundations to Niclas Kolm. A. Gonzalez-Voyer was funded by a Wenner-Grens Foundations post-doctoral stipend and a Juan de la Cierva post-doctoral contract from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. We are especially grateful to Heinz Büscher, Ola Svensson, Carl Westholm and John Fitzpatrick for their help with scoring species for sexual dimorphism in colour and shape.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal Ecology/Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18 D, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden

    Masahito Tsuboi, Alejandro Gonzalez-Voyer & Niclas Kolm

  2. Department of Population Biology and Conservation Biology/Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 18 D, 75236, Uppsala, Sweden

    Masahito Tsuboi & Jacob Höglund

  3. Department of Integrative Ecology, Estación Biológica de Doñana (EBD-CSIC), Avenida Américo Vespucio s/n, 41092, Sevilla, Spain

    Alejandro Gonzalez-Voyer

  4. Laboratory of Insect Ecology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawaoiwakecho, Sakyouku, 6068187, Kyoto, Japan

    Masahito Tsuboi

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  1. Masahito Tsuboi
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  2. Alejandro Gonzalez-Voyer
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  4. Niclas Kolm
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Correspondence to Niclas Kolm.

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Tsuboi, M., Gonzalez-Voyer, A., Höglund, J. et al. Ecology and mating competition influence sexual dimorphism in Tanganyikan cichlids. Evol Ecol 26, 171–185 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10682-011-9489-3

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