Breeding territoriality and pair formation in the convict cichlid (Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum; Pisces, Cichlidae)

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (5) ◽  
pp. 960-967 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert W. Mackereth ◽  
Miles H. A. Keenleyside
Keyword(s):  
Parental Investment ◽  
Pair Formation ◽  
Convict Cichlid ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Cichlasoma Nigrofasciatum ◽  
Cichlid Fishes ◽  
Breeding Territory ◽  
Convict Cichlids ◽  
Investment Patterns ◽  
Spawning Sites

In many biparental species a sex difference in parental investment in a brood before fertilization, such as establishing a breeding territory or preparing a nest, may be an important component of the overall pattern of parental investment. Prefertilization investment patterns have been described for several species of biparental cichlid fishes, but there are discrepancies in the descriptions for the convict cichlid, Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum. This study describes quantitatively the prespawning behaviour of male and female convict cichlids and examines the influence on their behaviour of limiting the number of available spawning sites. The results indicate that pair formation begins several days before spawning when the female begins to follow a male and chase other females away from him. The pair then begins to spend more time in a smaller area where spawning eventually occurs. The breeding territory is usually established by the pair on the day of spawning. There was little difference in the pattern of prespawning behaviour offish with abundant versus limited spawning sites. It appears that neither sex will establish a territory until the female is ready to spawn and the pair has formed.

Weight asymmetry and sequential assessment in convict cichlid contests

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 475-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marten A. Koops ◽  
James W. A. Grant
Keyword(s):  
Weight Ratio ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Convict Cichlid ◽  
Cichlasoma Nigrofasciatum ◽  
Convict Cichlids ◽  
Temporal Overlap

We staged contests between pairs of convict cichlids (Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum) that varied in weight ratio (larger/smaller) from 1.02 to 4.86 to test the predictions of the sequential assessment model. As predicted, contests proceeded in a consistent sequence of behaviour (lateral display, biting, mouth wrestling, and circling), the duration of contests was inversely correlated with weight ratio, and the duration of complete phases of behaviour was independent of weight ratio (a phase is complete if the contest escalates to the next behavioural phase). However, there was temporal overlap in the occurrence of different behaviour patterns and variation in the duration of contests that are not explained by the model. Nevertheless, the structure of convict cichlid contests is consistent with the logic of the sequential assessment model.

Effects of Parent and Offspring Food Rations On Parental Care in the Convict Cichlid Fish (Pisces, Cichlidae)

Behaviour ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 129 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 63-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
James D. Kieffer ◽  
Robert J. Lavery
Keyword(s):  
Parental Care ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Food Supply ◽  
Cichlid Fish ◽  
Food Abundance ◽  
Convict Cichlid ◽  
Cichlasoma Nigrofasciatum ◽  
Convict Cichlids ◽  
More Care

AbstractAnimals may provide more care for their young under certain environmental conditions. For instance, if food is plentiful parents may invest more in the current brood than if food is scarce, assuming that food abundance is correlated with parent and offspring condition. In this experiment, we manipulated food levels (low vs high) for both parents and offspring to determine if parental care is influenced by parental and/or offspring condition in the convict cichlid, Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum. Parents which were fed a higher ration gained weight, whereas parents fed a lower ration lost weight. Similarly, young which were fed a higher ration were significantly larger than young fed a lower ration. Parents which were fed a higher ration defended their brood more vigorously than parents fed a lower ration. Offspring condition had little effect on parental care. Furthermore, females consistently invested more than males. The results show that parental convict cichlids adjust care in response to their own food supply rather than that of their offspring.

The influence of predators on adoption behaviour in adult convict cichlids (Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum)

1996 ◽  
Vol 74 (6) ◽  
pp. 1165-1173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon A. Fraser
Keyword(s):  
Predation Risk ◽  
Alloparental Care ◽  
Convict Cichlid ◽  
Cichlasoma Nigrofasciatum ◽  
Upper Limit ◽  
Convict Cichlids ◽  
Hypothesis Model ◽  
Differential Predation ◽  
High Predation ◽  
Brood Guarding

The adoption of unrelated young by brood-guarding convict cichlid (Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum) parents is influenced by several factors. Three of these are the risk of intrabrood aggression, the risk of differential predation of their own young, and the trade-off between the benefits of brood dilution and the costs of differential predation. This study introduces the "adoptable fry size hypothesis" model, which synthesizes the findings of earlier studies on each of these factors and details the range of adoptable fry sizes that increase foster brood survival across fry development. The influence of predation risk on the behaviour of parents toward foreign fry of different sizes was examined. Brood-guarding adults approached and mouthed at foreign fry larger than the upper limit of the model least often, but bit at them most often, thus excluding them. As host fry size increased, the number of behaviours directed at foreign fry decreased. Predator number did not significantly influence the size of foreign fry toward which the adults directed their behaviour. However, the overall frequency of these behaviours increased with increasing predator number, confirming previous studies suggesting that alloparental care is motivated by high predation risk.

Aggressive behaviour among convict cichlid (Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum) fry of different sizes and its importance to brood adoption

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (12) ◽  
pp. 2358-2362 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon A. Fraser ◽  
Brian D. Wisenden ◽  
Miles H. A. Keenleyside
Keyword(s):  
Dilution Effect ◽  
Young Measures ◽  
Size Difference ◽  
Biparental Care ◽  
Parental Rejection ◽  
Convict Cichlid ◽  
Free Swimming ◽  
Cichlasoma Nigrofasciatum ◽  
Convict Cichlids ◽  
Differential Predation

Convict cichlids (Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum) exhibit extended biparental care of their young. Parents will adopt unrelated (foreign) conspecific young of similar size to or smaller than their own but reject larger foreign young. Adoption of smaller foreign young may benefit the parents by reducing loss of their own young to predators by the dilution effect, which may be enhanced by differential predation on the smaller young. Another factor influencing adoption is that larger foreign young may pose a direct predatory threat to the host parents' young. Measures of aggression among free-swimming young of different sizes showed that there was at least a 1 mm (standard length) size difference before larger young attacked smaller, a 3 mm difference before injury occurred, and a 4–5 mm difference before predation occurred. Parents were initially more discriminating than their young with respect to the size of foreign young accepted. As their young grew and became stronger swimmers, parents less actively rejected larger foreign young; however, they continued to reject them before they were large enough to pose a direct predatory threat. Parental rejection of relatively large foreign young is therefore based more on protecting their own young from differential predation than from aggression by larger adoptees.

THE BENEFITS OF DEAR ENEMY RECOGNITION IN THREE-CONTENDER CONVICT CICHLID (CICHLASOMA NIGROFASCIATUM) CONTESTS

Behaviour ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 136 (8) ◽  
pp. 983-1003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Murray Itzkowitz ◽  
John Leiser
Keyword(s):  
Adult Male ◽  
Convict Cichlid ◽  
Dear Enemy ◽  
Cichlasoma Nigrofasciatum ◽  
Overall Response ◽  
Convict Cichlids ◽  
Enemy Recognition

AbstractWe staged eight types of contests using adult male convict cichlids (Cichlasoma nigrofasciatum) to study the effects of dear enemy recognition on the defensive decisions of territorial residents when confronted by two opponents. Our observations supported the hypothesis that residents faced with two intruders simultaneously would divide the overall response shown to a single intruder between the two intruders with respect to their relative threats (i.e. sizes). Consequently, in comparison to a single-intruder circumstance, the residents' attacks against any given intruder were reduced. The relative threat of competitors was dramatically altered when one of the residents' opponents was a dear enemy neighbour. When faced with a dear enemy neighbour and an unfamiliar intruder simultaneously, residents preferentially confronted the unfamiliar opponent. That is, the establishment of dear enemy recognition between a resident and a neighbour allowed the resident to direct his aggression to the greater competitive threat, i.e. the intruder. In this case, the amount of aggression residents exhibited toward the intruder was similar to the amount of aggression against a single nonterritorial intruder. Therefore, having a dear enemy neighbour freed a resident to defend its territory against an intruder with similar efficiency compared to when the intruder had been the resident's only opponent.

Comparison of parental behavior in male and female prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster)

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 434-437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy G. Solomon
Keyword(s):  
Parental Care ◽  
Parental Investment ◽  
Parental Behavior ◽  
Prairie Voles ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Investment Theory ◽  
Food Caching ◽  
Parental Investment Theory ◽  
Separation From Parents ◽  
Investment Patterns

A comparison of male and female parental investment patterns is needed before predictions can be generated from parental investment theory. One aspect of parental investment is parental care, therefore behavioral observations were conducted to compare the parental behavior of male and female prairie voles. Females brooded pups more frequently than did males during the first week of pup life and, in the absence of their mates in the nest, brooded pups more frequently throughout the preseparation period (between birth and separation from parents on day 20). Females also licked pups more frequently than did males during the entire preseparation period. Conversely, males spent more time outside the nest throughout the preseparation period. There were no differences between the sexes in the proportion of time spent in indirect parental behaviors such as nest building, food caching, or runway maintenance. These differences in direct parental care combined with a female's energetic investment in gestation and lactation result in greater total parental investment for female than for male prairie voles.

scholarly journals Ecology and Behaviour of the Spotted-backed Weaverbird in the Kruger National Park

Koedoe ◽  
1971 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas E. Collias ◽  
Elsie C. Collias
Keyword(s):  
Food Habits ◽  
National Park ◽  
Division Of Labour ◽  
Pair Formation ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Nest Building ◽  
Territorial Behaviour ◽  
Male And Female

Spotted-backed Weaverbirds were studied during September-December, 1969 in the Transvaal, chiefly in the Kruger National Park, and observations were made on their distribution, ecology and behaviour. Territorial behaviour, nest-building, pair formation displays, vocalizations and food habits are described as well as the division of labour between male and female in care of the young. Attacks by snakes and hawks are described as well as responses of the birds to their enemies. Behavioural relations to another species of weaver were also observed.

scholarly journals Serial monogamy benefits both sexes in the biparental convict cichlid

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e6535 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer L. Snekser ◽  
Murray Itzkowitz
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Brood Size ◽  
Parental Behavior ◽  
Convict Cichlid ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Serial Monogamy ◽  
Convict Cichlids ◽  
Amatitlania Nigrofasciata ◽  
Males And Females

Monogamy can be either long-term or serial, with new pairs formed with each breeding bout. Costs and benefits are associated with each strategy. Because biparental convict cichlids (Amatitlania nigrofasciata) typically switch mates, exhibiting serial monogamy, we tested for the costs associated with forcing individuals to remain with the same mate. Convict cichlids were observed over two successive breeding bouts, either with the same or a new, equally experienced, mate. Parental behavior did not differ between breeding bouts, nor did brood size. Surprisingly, fish that remained with their original partner for a second bout took significantly longer to produce a brood compared to fish that paired with new partners. New partners were also more likely to successfully produce a second brood than re-mated partners. This is in contrast to the majority of bird studies that show many benefits to staying with the same partner for multiple broods. In convict cichlids, there seems to be no benefit associated with remaining with the same partner and switching mates reduces duration between broods for both males and females, potentially increasing overall reproductive success.

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