Survival of broods under parental care and parental roles of the cichlid fish, Lamprologus toae, in Lake Tanganyika

Although sexual dimorphism is widespread in nature, its evolutionary causes often remain elusive. Here we report a case where a sex-specific conflicting functional demand related to parental care, but not to sexual selection, explains sexual dimorphism in a primarily trophic structure, the gill rakers of cichlid fishes. More specifically, we examined gill raker length in a representative set of cichlid fish species from Lake Tanganyika featuring three different parental care strategies: (i) uni-parental mouthbrooding, whereby only one parental sex incubates the eggs in the buccal cavity; (ii) bi-parental mouthbrooding, whereby both parents participate in mouthbrooding; and (iii) nest guarding without any mouthbrooding involved. As predicted from these different parental care strategies, we find sexual dimorphism in gill raker length to be present only in uni-parental mouthbrooders, but not in bi-parental mouthbrooders nor in nest guarders. Moreover, variation in the extent of sexual dimorphism among uni-parental mouthbrooders appears to be related to trophic ecology. Overall, we present a previously unrecognized scenario for the evolution of sexual dimorphism that is not related to sexual selection or initial niche divergence between sexes. Instead, sexual dimorphism in gill raker length in uni-parental mouthbrooding cichlid fish appears to be the consequence of a sex-specific functional trade-off between a trophic function present in both sexes and a reproductive function present only in the brooding sex.

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Sexual dimorphism and population divergence in the Lake Tanganyika cichlid fish genus Tropheus

Frontiers in Zoology ◽

10.1186/1742-9994-7-4 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 4 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Juergen Herler ◽

Michaela Kerschbaumer ◽

Philipp Mitteroecker ◽

Lisbeth Postl ◽

Christian Sturmbauer

Keyword(s):

Sexual Dimorphism ◽

Lake Tanganyika ◽

Cichlid Fish ◽

Population Divergence

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Galanin neuron activation in feeding, parental care, and infanticide in a mouthbrooding African cichlid fish

Hormones and Behavior ◽

10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104870 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 126 ◽

pp. 104870

Author(s):

Julie M. Butler ◽

Erandi M. Herath ◽

Arohan Rimal ◽

Sarah M. Whitlow ◽

Karen P. Maruska

Keyword(s):

Parental Care ◽

Cichlid Fish ◽

African Cichlid ◽

Neuron Activation

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The Adaptive Radiation of Cichlid Fish in Lake Tanganyika: A Morphological Perspective

International Journal of Evolutionary Biology ◽

10.4061/2011/620754 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2011 ◽

pp. 1-14 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Tetsumi Takahashi ◽

Stephan Koblmüller

Keyword(s):

East Africa ◽

Adaptive Radiation ◽

Lake Tanganyika ◽

Cichlid Fish ◽

Ancient Lakes ◽

Species Assemblage ◽

Cichlid Species ◽

Morphological Studies ◽

Rapid Speciation ◽

Explosive Speciation

Lake Tanganyika is the oldest of the Great Ancient Lakes in the East Africa. This lake harbours about 250 species of cichlid fish, which are highly diverse in terms of morphology, behaviour, and ecology. Lake Tanganyika's cichlid diversity has evolved through explosive speciation and is treated as a textbook example of adaptive radiation, the rapid differentiation of a single ancestor into an array of species that differ in traits used to exploit their environments and resources. To elucidate the processes and mechanisms underlying the rapid speciation and adaptive radiation of Lake Tanganyika's cichlid species assemblage it is important to integrate evidence from several lines of research. Great efforts have been, are, and certainly will be taken to solve the mystery of how so many cichlid species evolved in so little time. In the present review, we summarize morphological studies that relate to the adaptive radiation of Lake Tanganyika's cichlids and highlight their importance for understanding the process of adaptive radiation.

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S3d1-5 Phenotypic diversity of reproductive traits in a cichlid fish of Lake Tanganyika(S3-d1: "Phenotype Dynamics, Fluctuation, and Genetic Evolution",Symposia,Abstract,Meeting Program of EABS & BSJ 2006)

Seibutsu Butsuri ◽

10.2142/biophys.46.s136_3 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 46 (supplement2) ◽

pp. S136

Author(s):

Tetsu Sato

Keyword(s):

Lake Tanganyika ◽

Phenotypic Diversity ◽

Cichlid Fish ◽

Reproductive Traits ◽

Genetic Evolution ◽

Meeting Program

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Colour-assortative mating among populations of Tropheus moorii , a cichlid fish from Lake Tanganyika, East Africa

Proceedings of The Royal Society B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rspb.2005.3321 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 273 (1584) ◽

pp. 257-266 ◽

Cited By ~ 48

Author(s):

Walter Salzburger ◽

Harald Niederstätter ◽

Anita Brandstätter ◽

Burkhard Berger ◽

Walther Parson ◽

...

Keyword(s):

East Africa ◽

Assortative Mating ◽

Lake Tanganyika ◽

Cichlid Fish

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Differential attack by a cichlid fish on resident and non-resident fish of another cichlid species

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/156853912x629139 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 149 (1) ◽

pp. 99-109 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Satoshi Awata ◽

Masanori Kohda ◽

Haruki Ochi

Keyword(s):

Field Experiment ◽

Lake Tanganyika ◽

Cichlid Fish ◽

Previous Experience ◽

Alternative Mechanism ◽

Differential Attack ◽

Dear Enemy ◽

Resident Fish ◽

Cichlid Species ◽

Dear Enemy Effect

AbstractAn algivorous cichlid, Variabilichromis moorii( Vm), defends permanent territories in Lake Tanganyika, Africa. A zoobenthivorous cichlid, Neolamprologus mustax( Nm), spends 60% of daylight hours foraging in Vmterritories, from which other zoobenthivorous fishes are chased out and consequently which are much richer in prey animals than areas outside of Vmterritories. We conducted a field experiment to examine whether Nmresidents and non-residents received different degrees of attacks from Vm. Nmfish were caught in their territories, released at a point distant from these territories, and followed to observe interactions with Vmfish. The frequency of attacks received by the displaced Nmfish was greater than attacks received by Nmresidents, indicating that Nmresidents had easier access to Vmterritories than non-residents did. A possible mechanism for this is reduced aggression of Vmtowards Nmresidents, as a result of the ‘dear enemy’ effect that has been reported in territorial contests between rivals. An alternative mechanism is that tolerance towards Nmdiffers among Vmfish and Nmresidents selectively visit more tolerant Vmfish due to previous experience while non-residents randomly approach both tolerant and hostile Vmfish. The ability of Vmto discriminate between Nmresidents and non-residents is essential to the former mechanism but not to the latter. To more specifically examine which mechanism works in the Vm– Nmcommensal system, we will need to follow individually identified Vmfish interacting with Nmresidents and non-residents.

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